


Contemptus Mundi

by fallacyofwhat



Series: chaptered stories [1]
Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Library, Angst, Character Death, Demons, Doppelganger, Fantasy, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Parallel Universes, Smut, X-EXO Clones (EXO)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-21
Updated: 2021-01-31
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:15:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 37,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28130760
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fallacyofwhat/pseuds/fallacyofwhat
Summary: Contempt for the worlds is what Kyungsoo feels for everything that tries to disrupt the thread-thin balance in his library.Barge in:death. Steal his books:death.Kyungsoo is a dagger-wielding-spirit-hunting librarian who enjoys learning spells and the Dark Arts in his spare time, and he has enough of it. Once residing in the human realm, he became a librarian in a parallel universe. Ripped from his old life and his lover, he had to leave everything behind. Yet, with time flowing differently in the library, he accommodated to it easily.This is until he's being disrupted by a certain pink-haired demon. But he's the lesser of his problem — as if it wasn't worst enough already that he even knows his human counterpart — some greater force unknown threatens all lives and universes and Kyungsoo is furious that it has to includehisbooks inhislibrary!
Relationships: Do Kyungsoo | D.O/Park Chanyeol, Do Kyungsoo | D.O/Suh Youngho | Johnny
Series: chaptered stories [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1747564
Comments: 16
Kudos: 24





	1. The Librarian and the Demon

**Author's Note:**

> beta: [agent_k](https://www.asianfanfics.com/profile/view/1892055)
> 
> hit me up on [twt](https://mobile.twitter.com/fallacyofwhat).

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Chanyeol?”  
> “Chanyeøl.”  
> “Chanyeöl?”  
> “Yeøl.”  
> “Bullshit. O with diaeresis or slashed o? You’re just an edgy and angsty teen version of the Chanyeol I know.”

A man was perched upon a dark-green velveteen armchair in front of the fireplace, the crackling fire dancing languidly on his face, reflecting in the glasses that seemed ready to slide down his nose. He was staring into the fire, his unblinking eyes empty and unfocused. In his hands was a leather-bound book, one couldn’t read the words inscribed on the spine anymore. Yet even a keen observer wouldn’t be able to tell the man apart from a doll, that’s been discarded in its hunched over form on its seat. As well as the font that was set down into the book was illegible and could be regarded as a child’s first tries at writing, but there were a certain continuity and certainty in the way the type font was set down onto the parchment paper and it was neatly fitting into the spaces and in between the illustrations. The pages weren’t as tightly bound as they used to be, and a shimmer of string appeared between the pages.

Within a blink of the eye, the supposed librarian was gone, as if he might have been an imagination or hallucination to a tired and strained eye that read too much, but the librarian was alone, supposed to be alone.

He wasn’t.

Within the darkness of the library, the only light source being the fireplace and a vintage library desk lamp at the very end near the entrance, stationed on the reception desk that was littered with scribbles and notes, something far away from both light sources caught the lights, flying past endless rows of books that pages haven’t seen the sunshine in a century before it’s buried into something that vanishes right away and a dagger clatters almost soundless on the carpeted floor. The librarian appeared as suddenly as he vanished from his armchair and picked up the dagger. The dagger caught his reflection that’s soon replaced with a wicked smile for a short moment before he’s out of sight again and only some rain colliding with the floor-to-ceiling windows could be heard.

ʘ

Kyungsoo loved his job. Really. Even if he’d never guessed it in the beginning.

Sunlight was filtering through the windows and illuminated the dust dancing in front of the windows, and he huddled closer into his knee-long cardigan. A book under his arm and his cup with steaming tea in the other hand, he shuffled over to his spot near the entrance. Some visitors announced their visit or rather asked for an audience as his co-workers in the other realm liked to phrase it.

No-one was allowed in this library without previous appointment and no-one even tried to set foot into the library without prior notice. Nothing was working without Kyungsoo’s blessing. He could see the spiritual shadows of visitors from the other side roaming in the halls this morning, he was guessing finals were coming up. Only the humans’ spiritual forms were projected into this realm. This library’s layout was the same as the one in the other realm, where Kyungsoo actually started working when he was still a student. The only difference between this library and the other was that this one only had one floor but was as high as the two stories of the other one. It also didn’t have the renovations and extensions like the other one. It still represented the original blueprint from a millennial ago.

The balustrades of his library aligned with the ceiling between the ground level and first floor and ran around the whole walls, disrupting the otherwise high windows.

Two visitors were still hunched over the literature they ordered two days ago. But upon closer inspection, Kyungsoo saw one of them sleeping, their arms pillowing their head, the books closed and out of range for the drool to catch one. Seemed like at least one of them didn’t make it to their cot at their study table.

And this was the catch at this library. People didn’t leave until they finished what they came for. Some stayed a couple of months, some stay more than that. Depending on the assumed length of the visit, Kyungsoo sometimes lets them go home for some time because a year or two away from home cooped up in a library can be straining for some, no matter how much they are of a bookworm.

Kyungsoo fiddled with his necklace before approaching the sleeping figure, but in the end, decided against it and turned on his spot. The mage had stayed up long after Kyungsoo already retreated the night before.

A small sound of the door chime caught Kyungsoo’s attention instead and he walked back over to the entrance. He wasn’t in a rush because it couldn’t be anything important anyway. Or so he thought.

He opened the door and in front of him stood a human, another librarian just like him. He had a phone pressed against his ear and smiled when Kyungsoo opened the door. The librarians in the university library knew him, at least the ones that knew him from when he was still working there. The human ran a hand through his hair, pushing his hair behind his ear, “Ah, Kyungsoo, Sir, great to catch you so early on the phone.” There was another catch here, the ones that know him can see him roaming around in the worldly projection of the library and if the library was closed or otherwise empty, they approached him for small talk.

His entrance door aligned with the new front desk in the university library.

“How may I help you, Johnny?” Kyungsoo smiled at the man in front him that grew more handsome with each passing year, yet it itched Kyungsoo immensely to run his hands through the man’s hair, but there were things he wasn’t allowed to do anymore.

Johnny’s voice lowered, “We found a book that doesn’t belong with us, you might want to take a look at it. We think it manifested here a couple of days ago. You’ll find it at Phi 846 DEK.”

He looked like he wanted to say more.

“Johnny?” Kyungsoo inclined his head with wide eyes and a gentle gaze washing over his face, the bell of his earring sliding of its carpet-bed that the cardigan provided and letting out a chime. “What is it?”

“It’s, it’s just that I miss you. Even if it has been what? Ten years?” Johnny clutched the telephone tighter, his knuckles turning white. It indeed had been ten years, ten years in the human realm but way more in his realm. Kyungsoo really wanted to reach out for Johnny’s face, but he wasn’t allowed to touch what’s not his. And while Johnny was ageing, Kyungsoo still looked the same, not a day older than 34. “We’re the same age now, aren’t we?”

Johnny nodded silently, but when he realised that he was supposed to be on the phone, he let out a breathy chuckle, “Yes, yes, that’s right.” He added something in an afterthought, “I guess we really weren’t meant in this lifetime.” Kyungsoo smiled just sadly, at this rate Johnny would never get over him. For Kyungsoo, it had already been more than a lifetime where he was able to come to terms with his feelings, but sometimes when he saw Johnny, he felt differently. “Thanks for your help, Sir.” Johnny faked-cut the call before casting his eyes downwards. Kyungsoo couldn’t understand why it was so hard for Johnny; it’s been ten years after all. He was doing his doctorate right now, yet he was still working at the library, but it was always something about the atmosphere in this specific university library, it had been the same for Kyungsoo when he received his doctorate. Three years before he landed here.

Kyungsoo closed the door with a somewhat heavy heart and went on his way to the next ladder to get onto the balustrade. Once he found the book Johnny talked about, he found himself frowning. The book was caught between the two realms. Why didn’t Kyungsoo realise that earlier? Someone could’ve managed to steal a book with their persistent patience and Kyungsoo might’ve only realised it too late. His frown was deepening. Pulling the book back into his realm, he clasped it in his hand and turned it around, looking for something out of the ordinary but he wasn’t able to see or feel anything. With the book in hand, he went to the shelf right next to the realm anomaly and put it where it belongs. What if someone tried to either train with this book on how to steal or did someone manage to get into the library without Kyungsoo being aware of it?

Without further thought, he went back down to the mage he knew who could fix the anomaly for him. The bell on his earring was softly chiming with each unhurried step he took. He never hurried or moved fast.

ʘ

It was two more years until someone seriously attempted to steal from the man in the armchair. It wasn’t the first time but nothing as major as this time. There had been so many attempts in the nights that kept the man from reading in peace.

He was gone one second and wielded his dagger the next, the thief vanished when the book they had in their hand fell to the ground. The man’s eyes flitted to the book that fell open to the page the culprit was reading on and he heard the incarnation echo in the void of the library. In the corner of his eye, he saw the smouldering mess of logs in the fireplace going up in a burst before there was fire no more.

ʘ

Kyungsoo groaned in pain and water sloshed against his chest when he removed his hand from the water to grab his head that was pounding violently as if he’s drunken a whole keg of mead the night before. Did he fall asleep in the bathtub?

Wait, he only owned a washtub. Still not opening his eyes, he groaned some more before sliding further down the bathtub. No, not a bathtub, definitely not a bathtub. His hands felt blinding along the walls to determine what he was in. When he realised it, he dunked his head further into the water, submerging himself completely, closer to the source of the heat.

But he wasn’t able to suffocate himself; when his hair was suddenly pulled back up. And he shook his hair violently. His earring was gone.

“The brain is only supposed to be cooked very gently.” A deep voice announced, and Kyungsoo turned his head, staring at the man who pulled him out and was now drying his hand and pulling his sleeve back over his forearm.

He never had seen him before. Kyungsoo snorted into the water and he created a bubble bath, almost getting side-tracked by it if it wasn’t for the man appearing again in his field of vision. He crouched down before the cauldron. “I’m just surprised you woke up.”

“So, you’re eating humans?” Kyungsoo asked in return, pulling his arms out of the water, and resting them on the rim of the cauldron closest to the other man, resting his chin on them and staring right ahead at the demon. The cauldron was slightly small, even on him as he tried pulling his legs closer to him, but it was a feat in the cauldron.

He snorted again, he never understood why people were wearing latex or vinyl as everyday clothing. The demon still crouched in front of him had pink hair that Kyungsoo reminded of cotton candy and he felt a pull to tug at the hair. He was pretty. Even with one eye white, the other blue, but from the facial structure, he looked Asian, to say the least. There was a scar across the bridge of his nose.

Then it hit him.

“Chanyeol?”

“Chanyeøl.”

“Chanyeöl?”

“Yeøl.”

“Bullshit. O with diaeresis or slashed o? You’re just an edgy and angsty teen version of the Chanyeol I know.” That’s when he realised his mistake, telling a demon about his human counterpart. _Wing it, Kyungsoo._ “So, why am I here? Cooking in a cauldron?”

If the demon decided to not dwell on it or didn’t want to give Kyungsoo room to realise his mistake, he did a good job at hiding it. But Kyungsoo knew better.

“Slashed o?” He made a hand movement of crossing the o. “Weren’t you the one that spoke the incarnation and summoned me? Or didn’t you at least kill the thing that called me? I didn’t get my payment, so you’re a substitute.”

The water was getting warmer and Kyungsoo observed the demon strengthening the fire underneath the cauldron with magic. The demon was avoiding his question. Lame, Kyungsoo thought to himself.

“And I have no way out?” Kyungsoo tried, he already was on the verge of an existential crisis. How could someone get him out of the library like this, leaving and entering like this, with him in tow? Okay, yes, entering was easy, there weren’t strongholds on the doors, the night keeper efficient enough to get rid of intruders, but apparently not this time.

“No, you’re magically bound to the cauldron and I enjoy the screams of agony when you’re being cooked.” The demon, Kyungsoo had to give it to him, smirked somewhat handsomely. But Kyungsoo was still in a cauldron, being cooked alive.

Kyungsoo mutters an incarnation under his breath that functions just as good as a common curse, “Can you give me at least my earring back?” He tried at least. The sound of the demon standing up, the weird squeaking or whatever it was of the latex jacket and pants resounding in the room, kitchen, whatever.

“This one?” The demon stood at a chair which supported a pile of neatly folded clothes Kyungsoo recognised as his own. He held up two earrings, a dagger, and the bell.

“The bell, please.” He wouldn’t forget his manners, even if he didn’t introduce himself. The demon came back to him and Kyungsoo had to look up. The demon was tall, but as expected of a carbon copy of his Chanyeol.

A shudder was crawling down his spine, when the demon suddenly reached for his face, his fingers settling on his jaw behind his ear. The demon was too close, and Kyungsoo tried to retreat into his watery grave, but the demon held him up by his hair quite forcefully, and he winced in pain.

“You should be grateful that I’m helping you, puny human.” The demon hissed at him and Kyungsoo held still when the demon carefully threaded the earing back where it belongs.

“Thank you,” Kyungsoo winded himself out of the hold of the demon and pressed his back against the other side of the cauldron, out of reach for the demon, but he knew it was a lost cause.

“I’ll be back later, don’t attempt anything” The demon suddenly vanished and left Kyungsoo alone.

Kyungsoo was confused; he managed to catch a glimpse on the incarnation the thief chanted and him being cooked wasn’t in exchange for the demon’s services. His soul? Sure. His virginity? Lost cause after all those years. Being a slave? Kyungsoo knew his rights, he didn’t chant the incarnation. But as Chanyeøl said; he was a substitute.

He shook his head and the bell chimed. The moment he left the library the time stood still there, so no-one could attempt to steal. They would be caught in an immortal anomaly of the times between the spaces.

“Chanyöl,” he snorted, drawing out the Ö, butchering the name on purpose.

“It’s Chanyeøl!” The demon suddenly appeared back before his cauldron, his hand fisting into Kyungsoo’s hair, forcing his face upwards. He was too close again and Kyungsoo momentarily focused his eyes on the fine blemishes on the demon’s face, before looking back into the cold eyes.

“I could go on a linguistic tangent and tell you that my pronunciation is technically correct, but I‘m already being roasted on the spot, so I don’t need verbal harassment as well.” He managed an innocent smile through the pain, batting his eyelashes at the demon whose eyes momentarily looked down to his lips before looking back up. Jackpot.

The water turned even warmer and the demon vanished again. Kyungsoo reclined in the cauldron, relinquishing in the warmth. The demon didn’t need to know that cooking Kyungsoo would be an impossible feat, he wasn’t a mere human anymore since he set foot into the library. He slipped into the water until only his nose and eyes were above the waterline.

 _Kyungsoo, you’re hunting spirits and not demons. It’s not your mistake you got abducted._ He was still having an existential crisis. _It’s not your fault. Whoever broke into the library is at fault._ He mentally pep talked himself out of it.

He took his time bathing in his own dirt for some time until he was sure of his job and heaved himself out of the cauldron. His hands and feet became all wrinkly from the water when his feet dropped on the cold ground and he only realised then how cold it was outside the cauldron. Walking butt-naked and wet through the room he was in, he found something that resembled a towel. Towelling his hair dry, he passed by a mirror and had to see that he was now looking like a poodle with his hair. Wrapping it around his hips, he inspected every nook and cranny of the house, seeing if he could take something in return but the books the demon owned weren’t worth it.

He walked back to the chair where his clothes were neatly folded. He was surprised. He let the towel pool around his ankles and just when he was slipping into his underwear, someone materialised into the room. Kyungsoo had anticipated the visitor that wasn’t here for him.

 _“My, my, what toned back muscles you have and those strong thighs. Huh, is he now fucking humans?”_ Kyungsoo furrowed his eyebrows and looked over the shoulder. It’s been some time since he heard the language. The first thing he saw was vinyl and the other person being too close to him. He felt a cold hand settling on his ass. _“Usually, he shares…”_ The demon behind him sounded really offended and Kyungsoo looked away, biting down hard on his lips. Swatting the hand away, he pulled his light brown corduroy trousers over the swell of his ass and making quick work of slipping back into his undershirt and the louse blouse. He knew the type of demon behind him. Because the next second he found the desk he was standing at digging into his lower back and a white-haired demon with a chain adorning his face pressing up against him, hunger and lust burning in his eyes. _“He shares…”_

Kyungsoo tried keeping his calm, _“We didn’t fuck, and I’m not to be shared anyway. I’m on my way to flee from here, so if you’d excuse me?”_ Keeping his cool always set off demons because their powers did not affect him. Perks of being a librarian. But the demon looked confused that Kyungsoo was able to speak his language.

He slipped into his sandals after he fastened the bell ribbon around his ankle, adjusted his necklace and the dagger-earring before walking back up to the demon who was still staring at him, the bell chiming softly with every step he took. Their nose almost touched and Kyungsoo saw the demon leaning in, but he was quick to press his fingers against the other’s lips, reaching with his other hand for the cardigan on the table. _“I needed that.”_

He slipped his arms in the long sleeves of the dark brown merino wool cardigan he got some years ago for his birthday when he complained to the other librarians about the cold in the library.

He gave the demon a stink eye who watched him with curious eyes and hunched shoulders, as if ready to pounce. Making one last round in the room, he put out the fire under the cauldron. The water was boiling by now.

_“Oh, you’re the brain Chanyeøl wanted to bring for our potion. If we had known what you look like, we would have used you before or instead.”_

_“Yöl. And no, no-one used me for whatever, especially nothing sexual. I’m a thinking and living human being and I do not consent. So, thank you very much, and have a nice day.”_ Kyungsoo wanted to say more but speak of the devil.

“Baëkhyun— How did you get out of the cauldron?”

“Don’t tell me he’s also _so_ edgy to have a diaeresis in his name?” The pink-haired demon looked positively pissed now and Kyungsoo didn’t know if it were directed at him or the other demon called Baëkhyun, Bækhyun or Bäkhyun—he could tell how his name was supposed to be though. But he knew it was time to go and reinforce the library, he had no idea how the clocks were ticking in the demon realm.

“But as I already hinted, I’ll take my leave now. Good day, sires.” The bells around his ankle chimed loudly when he stomped his leg on the ground and the earring answered and he was back in the library.

He didn’t know how much time passed but a look onto the letters he received revealed him being gone a year for some reason, but that wouldn’t make sense. Even after twelve human years, he didn’t understand how the time was measured because according to the clock he had left from the human realm, time seemed to be ticking the same 24 hours as back home, yet twelve days measured into a year in his realm.

“How long have I been gone?” Kyungsoo raised his voice, speaking into the void.

> _A couple of hours, librarian._

“Then what’s up with the letters dating half a year into the future?”

> _It seems a time-traveller had wanted to ask for an audience but returned shortly thereafter with letters speaking of your death. Librarian. Fallen at the hands of dangerous demons plaguing the realm._

“Let me guess, _Hnnn_ -yøel and Baëk- _urgh_ and others with weird names that make no sense to pronounce.”

> _It seems the librarian has met the culprits, I assume?_

“Yes, one tried to cook me for my brain and the other sexually harassed me.” He walked around the library, checking every nook and cranny. “I don’t know how much time we have, but we need to reinforce immediately. They’ll be coming after me. And by the way, no loud speaking of those names, that seems to also summon them. He even reacted when I butchered his name.”

It took him a week. He contacted a nearby mage who, in return for some favours Kyungsoo never said no to back then, helped him with the spells and charms he needed, but without setting foot into the library. He couldn’t without an audience verdict.

The first person he saw when he opened the door to the library was Qamara, the hijabi looked always sophisticated. Kyungsoo had seen her even in oversized sweaters and dirty sweatpants with her hijab. She looked effortlessly good no matter what she wore and ageing just enhanced her beauty. For some reason Kyungsoo had only worked together with people that were just like fine wine, the older they got the more beautiful they became. He called out for her and explained to her that the entrance would be sealed for at least a month in his realm, _'things happened'_ he had only disclosed.

The next day he sent out a message to the human-Chanyeol since knowledge about the demon counterpart was able to balance the curse.

ʘ

The attacks increased on the library and the registry grew with each passing night. The librarian in the armchair became more and more frustrated with each attack. He was wielding his dagger more than usual and it absorbed more and more of him each time. The library grew concerned for their guardian. He faced away from the fireplace, the fire crackling dangerously, licking along the logs turning to a crisp, its tendrils sometimes trying to reach the man, but he was always out of the reach. Just barely.

His dagger was weighing heavily in his hand and he moved within the blink of an eye. His dagger caught the soft flesh of the intruder who vanished upon a shriek full of confusion. The man had long realised what books were being targeted and had relocated them somewhere far away from their original locations. The library wasn’t content with their order disturbed, but they came to realise that it was needed.

ʘ

During the night, it was uncharacteristically quiet, the man stood before the Librarians’ Wall. It was filled with all the librarians and their history. The current keeper of the library had been here the longest, his record spun the widest, but there was a new book that had appeared a month ago and no-one had the intention of even looking into it, even just touch it. The library itself stayed clear of it.

The night was the time for research and the time-traveller still hadn’t asked for an audience but left clues by the library for the guardian. It seemed to be an arch angel’s doing, one that would fall deeper than Lucifer ever did in the history of mankind. But no-one had access to the library as of now.

Rough hands ran over the spins of the books close to him, gracing each leather-bound with just a mere touch of a feather, letters glowing under the incarnations muttered in tongue. The dagger disappeared from the man’s hand and in the library, a shrill cry sounded before one could barely make out the soft clutter of the dagger colliding with the carpet, something metallic falling over it.

With unhurried steps, the man walked to the shelf, the jewellery glowing in a faint yet dark purple where it touched the dagger. It was hot to the touch, but the callouses prevented his fingers to burn from the scorching emitting of heat. He slid it into the coat pocket before making further rounds, the dagger dangling from his hand that wasn’t the book he carried around each time.

ʘ

Kyungsoo was staring hard at the _Librarians’ Wall._ The name he was seeing stung in his eyes. It seemed like his time with Johnny had finally come to an end, the library had sealed the book depicting their story in his own blood. That could either mean Johnny had suddenly forgotten about him or didn’t work in the library anymore. Worse, he could be dead, but then his name would’ve been in the registry. He could’ve found someone instead that made him forget his feelings for Kyungsoo. It pained his heart to think like that, but he wasn’t allowed to live his human longings. He was part of the library until the day he died.

But the other book had the demon’s name on it and Kyungsoo knew his fate was sealed, but he didn’t look into it, he couldn’t.

He was passing by the sheer endless shelves and let his eyes roam over the rows, pushing his glasses higher. Muttering an incarnation, the dust on top of those shelves disappeared. He sent a mental prayer to the mage that had taught him. His eyes flitted over the spines of the books. Looking for anything out of the ordinary. His visitor would appear soon, and he wanted everything to be looking its best. If he had known earlier that he was bound to a library, he’d never even attempted his doctorate, because now it was only lost time he could’ve used up better.

One morning, he was sitting at the reception desk, perched upon a stool, a mug steaming with coffee in front of him and a book in his hands when suddenly a crash tore through the content silence of the library.

“Put the books back to where they belong, or I strangulate you with my bare hands,” Kyungsoo didn’t look up from the book, he didn’t even flinch when it happened. But he knew it was quite enough and his voice strong to be heard all over the library. From the south corner, a groan could be finally heard and Kyungsoo looked up long enough to see a crow at the west wing window. Instead of checking who might be suffocated by books, he hurried for once in his life and reached the window in mere seconds and opened it for the crow to hop in. He roamed his cardigan’s pocket for a biscuit he offered the crow before he removed the paper bound to its leg. Once freed and biscuit in its beak, it opened his wings, before jumping along Kyungsoo’s arm until it was perched upon his shoulder, morphing into an industrial on his ear.

The time-traveller had sent new news that the guardian was slowly changing the world’s history by killing the folks that tried to steal from the library. Kyungsoo nodded to himself before stashing away the letter in his breast pocket. He waited at the reception desk until a limping pink-haired demon appeared in his line of vision. Upon seeing Kyungsoo, the demon suddenly straightened up and tried to hide his limp. Was he trying to impress Kyungsoo? The librarian only raised an eyebrow in response.

“Took me forever to get in here, how it was so easy last time?” He brushed his hair away from his forehead and towered over Kyungsoo, his hand on the smaller one’s chin so he would look up at him. Kyungsoo didn’t know what was up with the demon being suddenly so touchy with him.

“Last time? Last time you’ve been summoned by some asshole and took me away. It’s more of a riddle how you managed to get me out of here when I’m bound to this place.” Kyungsoo responded and swatted the hand away from his face. “Coffee?” He rounded the reception desk and sat back on his stool.

“Why don’t you tell me your name instead?” The demon leaned against the desk itself and peered over it on the mess on the table.

“You tried to cook me, and I was sexually assaulted by the little vermin.”

“Baë—”

“Don’t even call his name, if he also just needs his name called and he appears out of nowhere, I have to kill not only him but you as well.”

The demon propped his chin into his palms, his elbows resting on the desk. He was looking at Kyungsoo with irritation and amusement. “You sure about that?”

“Honey, you’re in my realm right now and I already escaped you quite easily.” Kyungsoo rolled his eyes before lifting his cup to his lips, his eyes flitting back to the book at hand.

“Yeah, I was surprised, no-one escaped such a high-ranking demon like me.” Kyungsoo could hear the smirk in the way the voice tilted at the end. Kyungsoo looked up, raising an eyebrow before looking back down onto the book. “You misplaced two books in the rows you knocked down, you either fix it on your own or I force you to do it.”

“Ain’t this just a fluke to get rid of me?” Long slender fingers plucked the book from his hands and the demon looked into it, feigning interest but Kyungsoo saw from the way his eyebrows drew together that he couldn’t read the runes.

“Because I know and now go before I make you.” Kyungsoo, irritated, snatched the book back, but the demon held it out of reach. Kyungsoo leaned onto his desk, staring daggers at the demon whose face was illuminated by an annoying smug grin.

“You think you’re very funny, do you? Are you finished pining over me for–” he flipped through the calendar on his desk, “For almost two years? And I was already on the verge about making fun for you just running after me because you didn’t get laid in a couple of decades.”

The ground under the demon suddenly opened up and Kyungsoo snatched the book he lost the grip on. “Thanks a lot.” The library would keep him at bay. He unhurriedly walked over to where the demon originally crashed into the shelves and couldn’t help but let a loud laugh escape his throat. The library had dumped all books again over the demon who was literally buried underneath the heap of hardcover books.

He still held his belly, when he crouched down, still laughing widely, “You okay there, buddy?”

But suddenly his face was yanked down, and he felt something soft press against his lips before the feeling drew back and the demon suddenly busied himself with putting the books where they belong or he at least thought where they belong, but the library was grateful enough to only throw the ones back at him that was in the wrong row. “What the fuck?”

The demon’s nape and easy were as pink as his hair. Kyungsoo, still taken aback, didn’t comment on it further.

> _Intruder!_

The demon jolted when he suddenly heard a voice inside his head, but he barely managed to catch sight of the librarian who looked different all of a sudden disappearing into thin air. But he felt his breath knocked out of his lungs when a lower demon died painfully in his vicinity and suddenly Kyungsoo appeared again, eyes empty.

“They are here in the daylight. They can’t be, are you helping them, vermin?” A dagger under the demon’s chin forced his face upwards and he visibly shrank back under the cold eyes.

“No, no, I swear. I’m here on my own. I was trying to look for you _and maybe eat your soul in the process, I’m sorry…_ ” His voice somewhat broke after admitting his plan, and life seeped back into Kyungsoo’s eyes.

“If kissing me is similar to stealing my soul, so help me god, you’re bad at devouring souls. You can, after my shift.” The dagger under the demon’s chin was carefully retracted and the light got caught in the dangling dagger earring.

“You let me devour your soul?” The demon staggered back up until he was back on his own two feet.

“The shelves, Chanye–Chanyöl.” Kyungsoo turned around, his face in a grimace before walking away, his laugh resounding through the quiet halls of the library, upon seeing the demon’s scandalised expression after having his name butchered again. He knew the demon was pissed deep down because Kyungsoo was giving off a feeling of looking down on him from above, oozing out a sense of superiority and being stuck-up.

The demon found the librarian at his desk, reclined and staring at a point unknown, the end of a pen tapping against the armrest of the chair.

“Erm, sir?” He began.

“Kyungsoo, 57th librarian. Probably older than you are. Was a librarian before as well, after I finished my doctorate; if you know about human education?” He still didn’t look at the demon.

“Oh, _oh_ , nice to meet you. Sorry again for cooking you last time. Even if I still want to know how you escaped me.” The demon fidgeted in front of him and Kyungsoo finally redirected his eyes at him before wordlessly pulling his leg on top of the desk, pulling his pants up, jingling the bell ribbon.

“You should’ve seen the scarring on my skin when you undressed me to cook me.” The demon turned beet red in the face. “I’m bound to this library, I _am_ the library, Chanyeøl. One jingle of the bell and I’m back where I belong… You’re blushing quite easily for someone so pissed with me.” Kyungsoo batted his eyelashes at him, “One wrong move and I’m on your tail, demon.”

The chime of the door alerted Kyungsoo and he almost slid off the chair before catching himself. Planting both feet on the ground, his earring and bell ribbon chimed, and he fiddled with his necklace before opening the door.

“Johnny!” Kyungsoo shrieked and his hands clawed into the doorframe, he wasn’t allowed to touch the human after all.

“Hey, Kyungsoo.” Johnny nervously ran his hand through his long hair, the telephone placed between ear and shoulder. “This might be actually the last time we see each other. I’m moving and, and I found your old CD-Player, the one with batteries. You also left a bunch of different albums at my place…”

Kyungsoo felt tears prickling at his eyes, but he had to stay strong for the two of them. Maybe seeing Johnny every couple of years didn’t let him get over his feelings completely, that might be the reason his chapter with Johnny is sealed now.

“I’ll bring them over this evening if that’s fine with you?”

Kyungsoo nodded before Johnny spoke his goodbyes and Kyungsoo closed the door.

“Who was that?” The demon was perched upon his desk, a book in his hands, flipping through it. He had his leg thrown over the other, but his eyes were cold for some reason, no hint of mischievousness found in his face.

Kyungsoo gave him a level-headed stare. “None of your concern, demon. This is my territory.” He rounded the desk, looking for keys before taking the next ladder to the balustrade. Swinging the keys around his finger, he stared at a locked display of books. The spell surrounding them needed to be reinforced, especially now that he had a demon literally breathing down his neck. He had followed him up.

Transforming the dagger from his earring, he cut his palm much to the demon’s horror, but the way he pressed into his back, closer to the smell of the blood was a tell-tale sign for Kyungsoo. Not only was he still human, but the demon reacted to blood as a vampire would.

He placed his bloody hand over the glass display muttering an incarnation in tongue no-one was able to speak or understand, no matter how old or educated they were. This was his language, the language of the library. The glass absorbed his blood and the whole display gave off a shine of colour each language was unable to describe.

The demon behind him sneaked an arm around his chest and Kyungsoo found himself unable to move when he felt the demon’s cold breath burning his exposed skin at his neck. The hand still bleeding found itself in the torturous grasp of the demon who lifted the hand to his lips and Kyungsoo let out a gasp in horror when burning cold fire escaped the demon’s mouth and he lapped his lips over the cut. Kyungsoo winded himself out of the embrace, but the more he struggled the tighter the grip turned around him and he found himself unable to breathe. The library was unable to intercept.

Once the demon released his hand, the cut was gone, but he had blood smeared across his face and his eyes lost all shine while he was snarling down on Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo seeing a window of opportunity, stomped his feet on the ground, the chime of the bell ear-deafening and the demon released Kyungsoo from his grasp, curling into himself and clasping his hands over his ears, a guttural animalistic scream escaping his bloody lips before he lost consciousness.

Kyungsoo looked down on the demon that had tears running down his face and Kyungsoo crouched down, his hands finding himself in the demon’s hair, pushing the hair already coated in sweat back carefully. “I’m sorry.” Arranging the long limbs was harder than he imagined when he heaved the demon into his arms, the head of Chanyeøl lolling from left to right and Kyungsoo descended the stairs.

He heard the library whispering among itself.

ʘ

* * *

Meute - [Purple Noise](https://youtu.be/e1QcFo4350c)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comments and thoughts, as short as they may be are very much appreciated~  
> hit me up on [twt](https://mobile.twitter.com/fallacyofwhat) if you want to talk to me, I'm pretty much kinda inactive there since the account is still new, but that can change.


	2. The Librarian and the Mage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Realisation and recognition were slowly steeping into his unnatural eyes and they went wider with each passing breath that ghosted over his lips from the librarian in front of him.
> 
> “That’s what you meant by ‘I am the library’.” It wasn’t a question; it was a statement.

It was night-time when the demon stirred in the armchair in front of the fireplace. The ragged breathing indicating a parched throat, and he was shivering, even with the fire tonguing at the logs and closer to the demon. He felt something in him that wasn’t supposed to be there, but it was running through his bloodstream, unable to escape.

He jolted when he heard something next to him, but he wasn’t strong enough to get up.

His eyes fell on a man in the armchair next to him, emotionless eyes and unmoving, looking like a doll. He could recognise a very faint heartbeat, but the blood was almost at a stop, just trickling slowly through the veins of the man. Something glistering caught his eye when it reflected in the shine of the fire. The man was weighing a dagger in his hand, the tip of the end sported dried blood and it met the cloth of the trousers with each swing downwards.

Chanyeøl closed his eyes and when he opened them again, the man was gone. Was he a hallucination or a projection of his delirious state? Looking around, he strained to see in the void of the library, he blamed his state on being unable to see in the darkness.

He heard a gasp and felt the air knocked out of his lungs when he felt a demon dying. With the next blink of his eyes, the man was back in his armchair. The man’s eyes were glowing in a faint green and that’s when Chanyeøl realised the man was looking at him, before slowly getting up, throwing a wood log into the fire that hungrily enveloped it in its flames. The crackling of the firewood engulfed the demons hearing and he felt a sense of serenity washing over him.

But the moment was short-lived, when he found the man leaning over him, a hand cupping his jaw before forcing his face carefully up. His eyes fell on scarring on the man’s neck before he felt a cold glass pressed against his lips.

Hungrily, he took deep sips and he felt water dripping from the corner of his mouth. Only too late he realised that there was blood mixed into the water and his eyes went wide.

“Why?”

ʘ

Kyungsoo was filing through the CDs Johnny brought him and he even got some of his old records back. It also featured some records and CDs he never saw before and upon checking the publication years of release he realised that Johnny must have added new recordings, some still even wrapped in plastic. The library had whispered about a gramophone in the depths of the depot that should be able to play the records at hand.

He also had received a letter from the human-Chanyeol thanking him for his words of warning, because even if Chanyeol was human, he was also a mage. And he thanked him for 'warning him to wear vinyl but that warning just made him more curious to try it for himself. And if that should happen, he would make sure to send Kyungsoo a photo, so he could see who wore it better. But his human-Chanyeol was always the type for oversized clothing and living in Mexico turned him into looking like a 50-year-old white man wearing Hawaiian shirts all the time. He also warned Kyungsoo that he might’ve to take in books from all over the human world from smaller libraries such as his. They all had been targeted and that made Kyungsoo jump to his feet, rushing over to the _Librarians’ Wall_ frightening Chanyeøl in the process when he suddenly passed him by the armchair.

Those shelves were next to lounging chairs and with unsure hands, he plucked a handful of books off the shelves. He felt the demon’s curious eyes at the back of his head. The demon had ignored and avoided him all day long already. He unceremoniously dropped the books on the floor, the library groaning in shock and hurt. He muttered an apology before dropping on the ground and with shaking hands, he filed through the records. His breathing turned ragged and he shivered more with each turn of the pages and the missing books that were marked in blood.

Warm arms suddenly curled around him and a chest pressed against him. “Kyungsoo, calm down. You’re hyperventilating! Please, follow my breathing. Please.”

Chanyeøl pleaded with him, but Kyungsoo was blinded by rage.

“You lied to me! You scum are stealing my books,” Kyungsoo was seething with hatred and wrath, but Chanyeøl’s arms just turned tighter around him.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Kyungsoo. Please. What do you mean?” He sounded desperate.

> _Librarian! Let him speak._

Kyungsoo turned still on the library’s warning, but his shoulders were still shaking, heaving deep breaths and holding the air in his lungs. He pointed at a page in one of the books and he felt Chanyeøl turning rigid; _Baëkhyun._

“Why would he do that?” Chanyeøl’s voice was thick with hurt and confusion.

> _Do the vermin know you’re here?_

Chanyeøl, confused where the voice was coming from, looked around until Kyungsoo explained to him what was going on. He shook his head upon the library’s inquiry. “I didn’t tell anyone I was here.” He didn’t realise that Kyungsoo winded himself out of the embrace, having calmed down, but he kept one hand on the top of Chanyeøl’s hand whose hands were turning cold. He flipped a few pages and another missing book and name appeared in blood red; _Kāi._

“You know him?” Kyungsoo felt Chanyeøl nodding against his back.

> _Demon, explain your relationship with those individuals._

“We’re six, there are three more. Rumours have it that we once had been eight or nine, but the others had been killed. I never really fit into it. Kyungsoo, remember when Baë– when the white-haired guy said I always share? I’m forced to, they take what I find and that means also sexual partners. I’m the youngest and they use to look down on me.”

> _Is that why you came here on your own for Kyungsoo?_

Kyungsoo wanted to know too even if he couldn’t explain why. His eyes flitted to the shelves where he saw the book with Chanyeøl’s name written in runes.

“It’s a bit shameful, but I wanted, no, want him on my own. I felt this pull to him, that’s why I took him with me the first time… I’m sorry.”

The library fell silent and so did Chanyeøl.

“I have to kill them, when they come here, Chanyeøl. If you get in my way, you’ll die too. And I have to get the books back. The sooner the better. As far as I know, they can’t discard off the books for as they are bound to them for now until they have all.” Kyungsoo whispered, his hand clutching on Chanyeøl’s. He felt the same kind of fire burning inside him that he felt when he met Johnny, or when he met human-Chanyeol for the first time. Fuck, he hated feelings.

“I don’t think you’re strong enough, Kyungsoo…” Chanyeøl sounded worried and angsty.

> _Trust in the librarian, demon. He could’ve killed you when he was bathing in the cauldron, naked like the day he was born._

“Do you have to say it like that?” Kyungsoo felt heat rising to his face and rolled his eyes. Of course, the library knew more than him.

For some reason, staying in the demon’s embrace felt nice, even if he was kind of sitting on his lap on the ground, while he was filing through the thefts and asking Chanyeøl for the names. He suddenly felt lips touching his neck where he got burned the day before, “I’m sorry for hurting you, Kyungsoo.”

“I hope you are, Chanyöl.” Kyungsoo took the moment of revulsions on the demon’s side and disappeared from the demon’s embrace.

Baëkhyun, Kāi, Chën, Suhø and Sehůn. Kyungsoo cracked his neck before getting back into the research, using Chanyeøl as assistant for writing letters.

He already knew that the demon with the pink-hair was a pyromaniac. It wasn’t even surprising to him that all the demons had Korean names and were of Korean descendant to some extent. But he would annihilate them following the books they stole since it was mirroring their efficiency.

Chën and Suhø had the least, but given their powers, Thunder and Water respectively, he understood why. But in any way, they didn’t seem to be good thieves anyway from what Chanyeøl told him. Baëkhyun and Sehůn were a different story, Light and Wind. The librarians, in worst cases, were blinded for life or one serious case was shredded to pieces by the wind. Those two killed the librarians. And Kāi was the main problem and player… Teleportation, just thinking about it made Kyungsoo’s head hurt. That demon could be the one with the least headcount, but according to reports, he hunted his victims. Kyungsoo was the only one who worked alone because the least people knew the library layout the safer it was. He had to put all his trust in Chanyeøl for speaking the truth.

> _Librarian, someone of high importance is requesting an audience._

Kyungsoo froze on the spot. “Who?”

> _Actually, it’s three. Two substantiated and one of importance but danger as well._

Kyungsoo dropped his head into his hands, that sounded like problems. Importance and danger sounded like the ministry. There was an open demon-hunt for the thieves and somewhere he read Chanyeøl’s name, even if he didn’t do anything so far to his knowledge. But everyone associated with this demon circle was being targeted, he just didn’t understand why no-one made connections to the archangel, it was glaringly obvious. Well, okay, he had background info…

> _One is the ministry. They requested books that had been targeted previously or books that fall into the same category as those stolen already._

“No, request declined.” Kyungsoo caught the demon’s eyes on his who was sitting on the carpet reading one of the books Kyungsoo brought with himself from the human realm. He was still staring in wonder whenever he heard the library speak. It was a miracle the library decided to enclose him into its mysteries and share what it talks about with Kyungsoo.

A request plopped down in the _Rejected_ folder and Chanyeøl’s white and blue eyes went even wider and he let out a gasp of amazement. _Fucking bureaucracy,_ Kyungsoo muttered under his breath.

> _The human mage requested to study the demon. Request accepted already. The time-traveller requests the records of the old-ancient history of the Arch Angels written in Latin._

“I’m not going to ask why you accepted Chanyeol’s request to ‘study’ Chanyeøl as if he was a book and doesn’t even belong to the inventory. And I’m curious to meet the time-traveller. Request accepted.” Kyungsoo, with amusement, watched Chanyeøl jumping up like an excited puppy when he learned with shock that he’s going to meet his human counterpart.

“Are you sure it’s safe for me to meet my doppelgänger? I mean, ain’t it said that you should kill them before they kill you?” Chanyeøl was seriously anxious and Kyungsoo felt like hugging the overgrown demon baby. He was pretty sure that Chanyeøl was able to get dangerous and filled with bloodlust, he saw and experienced it first-hand. Kyungsoo beckoned him over and the demon reluctantly agreed but let out another gasp of surprise when Kyungsoo, sitting on his desk, enclosed him in his arms and murmured that it was okay for him to meet his counterpart and that he understood why he was so anxious. He had to come to terms with his brothers being killed one way or another, that people were wrongly looking for him, but he didn’t realise one thing yet.

“Chanyeøl? You’re a demon and you’re really believing in humans’ tales?” Kyungsoo ran his hand through the pink hair of the demon who hummed in response before detaching himself. The librarian caught him staring at his lips when he ran his tongue over his teeth. Instead, Kyungsoo took his face into his hands, forcing the demon to look him in the eye. “You should be more concerned about the ministry. They’ll request until I have to grant them entry. Even if they wish it weren’t like this, but I have sole sovereignty here together with the library. Chanyeøl. I don’t know if you didn’t realise it yet, but _no-one_ can enter my library when I didn’t allow it and intruders are executed on the spot. Chanyeøl, you didn’t have permission to enter. I said you can have my soul after my shift ends. My shift doesn’t end! You’re here for a month now, co-existing with me and not once did you realise that my shift isn’t ending. You can’t leave! I can’t tell you to come back a week after the ministry was here. You can only leave when you die or some higher being grants permission.” Kyungsoo’s forehead touched the demon’s forehead that felt cold to the touch while Chanyeøl realised what it entailed. Realisation and recognition were slowly steeping into his unnatural eyes and they went wider with each passing breath that ghosted over his lips from the librarian in front of him.

“That’s what you meant by ‘I am the library’.” It wasn’t a question; it was a statement.

“Took you some time, honey. The library doesn’t function without me. If I’m not here, time stands still and no-one can access the building, but the longer I’m gone the more the library dies. Chanyeøl, time is ticking differently here. The longer you stay here, the more time passes in the outside realm. Twelve days in the human world estimated in a year here. I don’t know how you, or the library for that matter, managed to flow in time with your time while I was gone when you tried to cook me.” He didn’t know how the demon would now react, the fire inside him was flowing differently and Kyungsoo felt the cold seeping through his fingers where he touched him, the same cold that burnt him.

He tried to pull his hands away when the demon put his own over them. Slowly clasping around them, and Kyungsoo was unable to pull them away. The cold was hurting his fingers. Chanyeøl turned the palm he burned towards himself, letting his lips settle onto the scarring. Blue fire escaped his open lips and it engulfed Kyungsoo’s hand who was afraid it would burn him again. But contrary to his expectations, nothing of sorts happened, yet he was taken by surprise when he found his own face cupped by the demon’s hands. Chanyeøl leaned closer and Kyungsoo closed his eyes on impact, opening his lips greedily to welcome the demon’s lips on his. They kissed languidly and savoured each other’s taste. Chanyeøl nibbled on Kyungsoo’s lower lip, pulling it carefully between his teeth before sinking into the kiss again, Kyungsoo’s tongue welcoming his. A throaty groan escaped Chanyeøl and Kyungsoo pressed against him, his legs pulling the demon closer by the hips.

When they pulled away, Chanyeøl uncharacteristically out of breath, took in Kyungsoo’s flushed face and the slick, swollen lips. “Even if I wanted to leave, you sired me when you willingly gave me your blood and bound me to you.”

Under Kyungsoo’s thick brows, the half-lidded eyes shone with danger and the lips formed a smug grin. Chanyeøl just wanted to kiss him again. He already gave himself to Kyungsoo, unwillingly willing. “I’m at your every command, librarian Kyungsoo.”

The ministry got their request granted earlier than Kyungsoo was happy with. He stood in the door to the private quarters he hadn’t stepped foot in forever. “I’m sorry you have to stay here until they’re gone. This is my territory, but you’ll never know how they react to seeing you here.” His thumb was running circles on Chanyeøl’s hip bone where he had pushed the shirt up. Human-Chanyeol was nice enough to send them clothes (and thankfully no Hawaiian shirts, but interestingly enough clothes and the more formfitting and tighter clothing he knew Kyungsoo wouldn’t say no too) so Chanyeøl wasn’t running around in latex or leather clothing, even if Kyungsoo liked the black and white turtleneck on the demon.

“But I got one question for you, Yöl.” The demon still didn’t like the nickname, but Kyungsoo would force it on him until he grew fond of it. “How come no-one summoned you until now? I mean, apparently only calling your name and you’re there?”

“I only come, arrive, when you call my name.” He was running his tongue over his teeth again and Kyungsoo was so close to smashing his fist into the smirking visage. “I didn’t respond to them. Not at all since I’m here and I know they’re furious with me. They don’t know I’m with you, but they also can’t track you down for the moment. B is suspecting you to be the culprit.” Chanyeøl’s fingers curled under Kyungsoo’s chin and lifted his face until he could comfortably press his lips against the smaller man’s lips. Humming in content, he let go. “I trust in you, so please put your trust in me as well.”

Kyungsoo nodded and stepped away, a reassuring smile on his full lips. “I see you later, Chanyeøl.”

ʘ

The man was uncharacteristically awake. He moved a lot more than usual while sitting, but his expression was just as unchanging. The dagger was in constant movement and he made the men from the ministry nervous. Instead of sitting all doll-like in the armchair like he usually does, he was sitting three desks away from the entourage of the ministry on the desk, his eyes unblinkingly keeping track of every movement. The library was whispering to him, but to the other men, it sounded like a constant stream of air pressing through an open roof. His head was hurting with all the men here, but the human-Chanyeol should arrive soon at whose desk the man was sitting. The mage always sat there, the furthest away from the windows, the closest to where he could sit without his magical powers able to reach Kyungsoo at the reception desk throughout the day.

The man moved before the thief even managed to get into the library. He never understood how they managed it because you just didn’t walk up to the library as someone would usually do. The library was in a time-space-continuum, you just didn’t walk up to it and break in.

The man picked up the book the thief dropped and turned it around in his hand. They didn’t know where the books were they’re looking for, especially since they change locations daily for a year.

The entrance bell chimed, and the man was at the door in the blink of an eye, one of the men gasping in shock when the man suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

Opening the door, a man in a bright yellow shirt entered. His shorts a bit too tight _and_ short, flipflops plopping annoyingly with each step taken and the hat hanging low into his face, and his fingers curled under the librarian’s chin and further to cup his jaw, but not saying anything. Words were exchanged between them shortly thereafter, but unable to pick apart before the newcomer went to the desk the librarian sat at before. He pulled off his hat and the men discovered him to be Chanyeol, the man they were looking for, but he was the mage, not the demon. And a doppelgänger can’t be in the same place as the other.

The librarian was back to sitting on the desk the man was now working on, his hand absentmindedly running up and down his leg while the librarian’s eyes didn’t stop watching the men from the ministry.

ʘ

He had given the ministry a week, but he only kept them at bay until the time-traveller would show his face if he would at all. He didn’t really see Chanyeøl at all in this time, but the library assured him that he was in the best company since the library was with him and supplied him with books. Chanyeol on the other hand? Kyungsoo had a problem. The demon and the mage were the same, literally, except for their powers and slight changes in looks. Yet it was hard for him to differentiate between the two since he had a past with human-Chanyeol and now this thing with Chanyeøl? Actually, he wouldn’t mind both of them, but they’re doppelgängers and there had been instances of doppelgängers fusing into one and Kyungsoo didn’t want that.

“Soo?” Chanyeol leaned against his reception desk. Kyungsoo hummed in acknowledgement while focusing on the books at hands, looking for clues what the demons could want with the books. “You sired him?”

Now Kyungsoo looked up, all wide-eyed and silent. “I don’t know why. How’d you know?”

Chanyeol grabbed for the cup of steaming tea from Kyungsoo, staring at the wall behind him. He pointed towards his heart and then his head. “We seem to be more similar than we expected at first. I mean, the mages and scientists regarded doppelgängers as two different entities that share the appearance, but nothing else. Studies are unsatisfying at that end and incomplete because it’s hard to find a doppelgänger. It’s said to be seven of you out there, but the chance of meeting them is way too small. But I feel a fire burning inside me to devour you and make you mine.” Chanyeol raised an eyebrow in a sultry manner at Kyungsoo who only rolled his eyes.

“What are you trying? Making me choose between you two or get me to offer my ass to the both of you?” He realised his mistake with the last syllable spoken. Chanyeol was that kind of pervert to be interested in that, but he was also eviller than the demon version of himself. (Maybe he had a thing for bad boys, but Johnny was only looking like one, he was, is, literal sunshine that needs to be pampered.)

“Maybe?” Chanyeol leaned down on the reception, his tongue was running across his teeth before he was giving a toothy grin. Now he did even the shit Chanyeøl did to rile him up!

“Fuck off, Park. And stop putting your tiddies on my desk.” Kyungsoo almost threw the cup after him but he decided to be better than that.

“You know where to find me, my love, and he as well.” Chanyeol packed his things, but not before slipping into Kyungsoo’s private quarters. The librarian sprung up and over the counter, nothing left of his composed aura when he vanished from one moment to another and reappeared in his room and found Chanyeol caging his demon counterpart against the wall. Too close to be just casual and gripped the demon’s jaw hard, nipping at his bottom lip. Chanyeøl was petrified and Chanyeol finally pulled back, licking his lips obscenely before turning around to Kyungsoo who was seething. In two wide strides, Chanyeol was crowding Kyungsoo’s personal space and leaned down, his hand fisting into Kyungsoo’s hair before directing his face upwards, smashing his lips to Kyungsoo’s, and devouring his sanity with each deep lick into his mouth. “I sealed a deal and put a charm of extra protection on him. And I do look hot in latex.” Chanyeol pulled back, his hand smoothing Kyungsoo’s hair in his nape while Kyungsoo stared up at him with wide eyes and in disbelieve, his brows furrowed together and Chanyeol saw the dagger slowly forming. “I better get going.” With one final peck to the librarian’s lips, he left the room and the library.

His eyes fell upon the demon and he all but jumped towards him, clutching his face in his hands, “Chanyeøl? Are you okay?”

The demon nodded dazed, his eyes unfocused, “That was me? The other Chanyeol?” His eyes focused on Kyungsoo this time, his hands slowly reaching for the librarian’s face, mapping each dip and curve, tracing his lips with the tip of his finger. He leaned in, his eyes focused on Kyungsoo’s lips, slowly but surely and Kyungsoo didn’t pull back, but met him halfway. If it wasn’t for the library keeping an eye on the visitors, Kyungsoo might’ve been reluctant to be that lenient with either version of Chanyeo/øl, but when the demon pulled him closer to himself suddenly, hoisting him up on his hips, Kyungsoo wrapped his legs around him. The next second he found himself pressed between the demon and the wall and the demon possessively sucking on his lips and divulging himself in Kyungsoo’s mouth that agreed greedily to the licks, bites and kisses. Kyungsoo’s head was swimming in confusion but Chanyeøl was jealous, but so was the human-Chanyeol.

The demon detached his lips from Kyungsoo’s and mouthed and tongued along Kyungsoo’s jaw instead, licking a strip of skin on his neck and Kyungsoo let out a deep shuddering embarrassing breath. The demon hummed in approval to Kyungsoo turning to jelly under his lips. “I don’t know what it did to me, seeing him kiss you like that. I don’t know if this jealously or arousal, but it just makes me want to devour your soul, mark you and make you all mine.” The deep baritone of the demon’s voice shot straight into Kyungsoo’s groins and he let out a weak sound of protest, but his hips had a mind of their own and grinded into the demon’s stomach. Chanyeøl hummed again, and Kyungsoo felt the throaty hum racing down his spine and manifesting again in his groins.

“I can’t, Chanyeøl, not right now at least,” it did cost him all his will power to get himself detached from the demon who was staring at him with so much lust, Kyungsoo wanted to reciprocate it on the spot. It was different from the other demon that stared at him the same way. Yet, this time it was mutual feelings and attachments that Kyungsoo never dreamed about. His hand snaked around the demon’s neck and he pulled him down, pressing his own lips against his mouth, sealing their promise with a kiss before retreating from the room, back into the real world.

Once he emerged from his room, the men working thought they knew what happened, except they didn’t. He wasn’t happy with how things were developing at the moment, with both Chanyeøl and Chanyeol. With the mage, it grew out of business deals and the simplicity of the moment—he wandered over to the _Librarians’ Wall_ and stared up at it—the library never considered creating a past, present and future with him. But the moment he met Chanyeøl, the library thought it knows better, making him out to be a set part of the future. Yet Kyungsoo had his doubts when he was staring at the book spine into which Chanyeøl’s name was stamped in a blaring black and purple pulsing colour as if to mock him. But Kyungsoo saw things indicated by the book he wished weren’t true, but when it was the library it seldom was mistaken.

ʘ

* * *

Saint Motel – [Preach](https://youtu.be/_fMzDIIsWKA)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comments and thoughts, as short as they may be are very much appreciated~  
> hit me up on [twt](https://mobile.twitter.com/fallacyofwhat) if you want to talk to me, I'm pretty much kinda inactive there since the account is still new, but that can change.


	3. The Librarian and Thunder

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He was rooted to the spot when he saw Kyungsoo standing there, the librarian’s hand stuck in a severed head whose hair was dangling down. Yet the other hand held onto a photograph, the very photograph he had in his hand before and left on the ground.

_warning: smut_

* * *

* * *

The man stood in the private quarters, the demon quivering on the bed, soft gasps of pleasure escaping his open lips. He hadn’t seen the man in the shadows yet, unashamedly masturbating while muttering Kyungsoo’s name. He had his own face pressed into the pillows as if to dampen his voice, rutting into the mattress. The air was heavy with arousal. They were alone in the library, but the demon didn’t know. He wasn’t acutely aware of the precarious moment and its delicateness.

The man stepped closer on soundless soles and slowly leaned over the demon, his hand finding easy access on the swell of the ass of the demon who jolted in shock. His eyes were wide with fear and surprise, yet they turned into unashamed arousal when he drawled out the man’s name. The man sat down, pulling the demon with him who leaned his back into him, while spreading his legs further, letting the man on whose lap he sat, watching him masturbating. The silent librarian mouthed along the exposed neck of the demon scraping his teeth along the skin that was burning with want. In a peculiar moment, he bit down, breaking the fair skin easily and the demon gasped softly. His hips started stuttering and the man winded his arm around the demon, enclosing his palm around the base of the demon’s dick to keep him from coming just yet, he wanted to enjoy the show more.

Licking the blood clean from the neck, the demon’s begging to release was granted and he came all over his stomach and the man’s hand who had languidly jerked him off. Chanyeøl sacked into the man, with a content sigh and some incoherent babbling, who rolled them on their side, spooning the demon until he fell asleep.

ʘ

Kyungsoo was ecstatic to meet the time-traveller but at the same time, he was anxious. He didn’t know who the person was after all and if he were very unlucky, it could also be the mastermind behind the whole orchestration of the thefts.

An abrupt motion made his bell ribbon jingle, and he was face to face with the demon who was overly red in the face.

“I, I thought about how to summon Su and C, I don’t think they would appear if you only say their names,” he was wringing his hands and averted Kyungsoo gaze on him.

He jerked back when Kyungsoo held a book under his nose, “I guess I have to summon them the old-fashioned way.”

The demon stared comically at him; he hadn’t seen the specific edition of the book in decades. He nodded. Kyungsoo flipped through the book that was littered with annotations by the previous owner; and Kyungsoo, but Chanyeøl didn’t have to know.

Muttering under his breath, Kyungsoo’s brows drew closer together. “They want me to do _what?_ Am not a potion’s master, the hell am I going to brew some virgin’s period blood? What in the Seven Heavens? What’s wrong with those twats?” Chanyeøl’s summoning only included drops of blood and ashes from a _Ricinus communis._ But why he needed ashes from a deadly plant was also a mystery. A look in front of him revealed a comically wide-eyed demon who still fiddled with the hems of his shirt. Kyungsoo’s hand sneaked around the taller man’s waist who didn’t even stand an arms-width away and pulled him into his chest, coaxing his face up littering his jaw with kisses. Chanyeøl hungrily reciprocated the kiss, his hands anchoring themselves on Kyungsoo’s face while he sucked on the plump lower lip from the librarian. He sighed into the open mouth kissed and Kyungsoo’s lips drew into a smile before pulling back, “Does my human energy taste that well to you?”

The demon went rigid and words failed him while he was stuttering nonsense, his face getting a shade redder. Kyungsoo, on the other hand, pulled the demon back down on his lips, with his hand fisted into the soft pink hair and shut him up, while enjoying the demon turning into a puddle in his hands.

ʘ

Kyungsoo lay on the ground sprawled out like a starfish, staring at the ceiling of the library, while he blasted music on his wireless headphone he was still surprised with that they worked here, but maybe the library just had pity on him. He played an album Johnny had giving him together with his own records. It was way more brutal and violent from what he was used to, but for some reason he liked it. The book face-down on his chest, filled with notes and runes scribbled in sheer endless nights, written in the weak lights of candles, was a testimony of his knowledge and mysteries. He had this book in possession long before he met Chanyeol, but it was exactly what he needed. The song came to a hefty part and he had a flash on inspiration on how to get rid of one demon. He had to out-balance their powers.

He felt a flash of pain behind his eye and disappeared from the ground, just to appear the next second in the air, the dagger tightly enclosed in his palms while he jumped down on the intruder, his hands and the dagger overhead. His dagger drove straight into the monster’s head and Kyungsoo landed on his two feet, crouching, while a book fell to the ground. Grabbing the book of the ground, he straightened his back and turned his head left. His eyes were emotionless while he spotted Chanyeøl a few rows down, sitting on the ground as if he fell. Kyungsoo realised that the demon saw him killing for the first time. His body’s posture went slack after he slid the headphones of his ears, music overly loud blaring from them. He tilted his head, the bell earing chiming, holding out the book for Chanyeøl to take.

The demon approached him carefully, “Kyungsoo?”

“Take it, see what happens when I kill someone.” Kyungsoo impatiently shook the book until the demon took it. “The lives I take will forever be part of the library. You’re here without an audience, you can’t leave, ever, Chanyeøl, you’re considered an intruder. Harm me, you might live. Harm the library, and feelings or not, I kill you without a second thought. Remember that. Betray my trust, and I make ends meet, and you’ll muster the most torturous death I can give you.”

The demon accepted the book with both of his hands, his head downcast, “Yes.” As if on second thought, he looked up. “Yes, librarian Kyungsoo.”

“Come here,” the hand still outstretched from where the book was taken, motioned Chanyeøl over, pointing at his hand. Kyungsoo pulled the demon closer by his hand who all but stumbled into the smaller man. Kyungsoo lifted the hand in his grasp to his lips and kissed the ring on Chanyeøl’s finger, his eyes not once blinking or leaving the demon.

Kyungsoo was the embodiment of the two sides of a coin. That’s something Chanyeøl had actually taken some time to learn. He could be the quiet librarian with the sassy lowkey bullying and pretty much serious comebacks who had wrapped the demon around his finger (and more, if it goes by Chanyeøl, he was definitely overly horny for the man). The other side was the librarian that killed intruders without remorse and just his bell ribbon let him be located throughout the day.

Chanyeøl was a cold-hearted demon who shouldn’t be taken lightly, but when it came to Kyungsoo he turned into a bubbly and stupidly in love teenager and needed to talk, a lot. Much to Kyungsoo’s luck, the library could be just as talkative. But he was deathly afraid of his mage doppelgänger who took joy in making crude remarks that were long past only being borderline harassing or in sexual nature towards his own splitting image that was more similar to him.

Kyungsoo fiddled with his necklace; the possibility of the Chanyeo/øls becoming one was tangible and he prayed for once on his life to the Seven Heavens being lenient.

ʘ

Chanyeøl was arching his back on the covers, when the man littered the insides of his thighs with little bites and kisses, leaving the demon to curl his toes on top of the covers, fisting his long fingers into the man’s hair to pull his lips back on his dick. Once his dick was again engulfed in the wet heat of the man’s mouth, he thrust upwards in delight and ecstasy, the hands on his hips holding him back from hitting the back of the throat he was shamelessly fucking into. When both felt Chanyeøl starting to stagger in his rhythm, the man pulled his lips off the throbbing dick and left a long lick from the base to the tip. He was about to crawl closer to the demon’s face, but his big hands forced him closer to his face making the man grasp the headboard when he felt the softness and wetness of a tongue lapping around his asshole that already was well stretched. He threw his head back and almost fucked himself on the tongue, but the demon kept his cheeks pulled apart and in place. He felt like the tongue was pushing in deeper than before and the fire escaping the demon’s mouth was massaging his pulsating walls and he let out a groan. The demon smiled against his rim before suddenly throwing him on his back and hovering over him. Throughout the preparation, his own dick had been ignored and the demon’s long fingers closed around this base and pressed. A deep moan escaped the man’s lips, and he lifted his hips, a desperate motion to feel the throbbing dick pressing against his hole inside him.

“Impatient, are we?” The demon growled lowly into his ear while teasingly probing the tip of his lubed-up dick against his hole. He not only loved giving the man a show while masturbating, but he also enjoyed bathing in the silent begging of the man to be fucked. The man grinded his erection against Chanyeøl’s erection when he masturbated, and the man had watched him once again.

It was eerily silent in the room except for the aroused and needy groans and the demon’s teasing.

Chanyeøl slid his hands under the man’s quivering thighs and pulled them apart, lifting them to meet the man’s chest. Full of admiration, he stared down at the man’s hole, his own erection pressing against the hole before slowly starting to push it in. The man was clenching around him before relaxing again and Chanyeøl relinquished in the embracing tightness and heat. Slowly pushing in, his length vanished deeper and deeper in the man’s hole until he was sheathed to the hilt.

“You’re so tight and embracing me so well. As if you’re made for me. Will you be a good boy?” Chanyeøl stood still after he pulled out a bit. The man nodded, his back arching beautifully. The demon hummed in delight before setting a painfully slow pace and he felt like his dick was just growing harder and bigger with each thrust into the tight heat, probing until he had the right angle to caress the man’s prostate. The man’s lips escaped a beautiful deep moan. Without a warning, he pulled out until his tip was left and snapped his hips, aiming straight at the prostate and kept still, his dick pressing against the man’s prostate.

“Such a beautiful and good boy.” He forced the legs further apart, forcing the man’s knees over his shoulders and started a relentless pace, watching the man crumbling under him, moaning in need and arousal while Chanyeøl breathed irregularly, moaning at the man’s deliciousness. He could keep this strength for hours if he wanted to, but he wasn’t sure if the man could take more than he already had with the agonising slow foreplay.

Watching the man under him become undone was similar to an epiphany to the demon. The man was grasping the demon’s biceps, trying desperately to meet the thrusts head-on, shallows breaths escaping his lips. Chanyeøl felt his rhythm finally becoming erratically after he relentlessly pounded into the man under him, watching his every reaction to whatever the demon did to him, and for what seemed to be hours to him.

“Want me…to cum ins—” Chanyeøl didn’t even finish the question when the librarian hooked his legs behind the demon’s neck, kept him in place and setting his own slow pace by pushing himself back on the dick throbbing inside him. Clenching around the demon, he came untouched and with a silent cry, his dick finally and angrily sprouting amounts of cum all over them, Chanyeøl got aroused even more by the smell. The massages of the pulsating walls around him tried to milk him with every spurt of the dick that slowly turned soft again, and he took it as his sign to ground the hips in place and with a few deep strikes, a moan of delight escaping Chanyeøl, he came in the tight heat of the man who was already clenching from overstimulation under him, whimpers escaping his otherwise silent lips.

He kept himself connected at the base of the man, before slowly pulling out, watching the cum slowly flowing back out from the abused and fluttering hole, but he leaned down, his tongue wiping amounts of the man’s cum, tasting it. It was just as delicious as it smelt. He left a kiss on the tip of the flaccid dick before straightening back, putting a finger into the water basin close to him to heat the water and clean the mess they made.

“Why don’t you get on all fours while I clean you?” He whispered schemingly into the man’s ear who quivered under him from all the stimulation, but he complied. Chanyeøl carefully and meticulously cleaned the man’s thighs, chest and hole, but couldn’t help himself as he pushed his tongue down the abused hole, tasting his own cum this way, much to the protest of the man whose ass he was eating.

Once they were clean again, Chanyeøl pulled the man into his chest, littering his face with kisses, muttering how much the man messes with his head before slipping into a deep dreamless sleep, his arms losing their hold on the man who radiated so much warmth.

ʘ

Kyungsoo wasn’t to be found in the library, yet the chime of his bell ribbon sounded everywhere and nowhere.

> _He should give you a price if you catch him in the next hour._

Chanyeøl furrowed his brows while he was trying to figure out where Kyungsoo was, but the library obviously wasn’t trying to help and decided to poke fun at the desperate demon instead. Kyungsoo had left a note on the reception desk in the morning instead, mentioning about preparations for the summoning instead and that Chanyeøl could make himself useful and start sorting the books from the deceased librarians and their libraries into the shelves. Of course, the demon shook with excitement that Kyungsoo finally let him help, but the next moment he was afraid of the amount of the books, because _whole_ libraries? But it was even worse.

Chanyeøl was tasked with the personal belongings of those deceased and their mementoes. It arched the demon inside his chest where humans found their heart, but the demon only had a void of ever so slightly changing darkness. Yet he was surprised by the variants in creatures, but none was a human.

Kyungsoo suddenly appeared behind him and squeezed his butt, pressing his lips in the flurry of the moment to the demon’s exposed neck and grabbed with his other hand a book next to the demon and was gone in the next second. Chanyeøl stood still in shock, trying to calm his erratic breathing. Was he turning human? Because he’d never been that set off by something like this.

“Kyungsoo? Is it possible that your teleportation inside the library is more advanced than K’s?” He had gotten used to refereeing to his demon ‘family’ by initials in case they tried to tap into his subconsciousness to resolve the mystery of his whereabouts.

He was almost not awaiting a response because he never knew if Kyungsoo was so much the library itself that word travelled through the wall.

“Actually, my teleportation _is_ , in fact, more advanced than his.” The answer sounded like it came from every direction, yet it wasn’t suffocating in any sense.

“But aren’t you a human?” It always had confused the demon, because Kyungsoo wasn’t as much as a human as the mage for example was or the humans whose souls Chanyeøl had devoured upon contract expiration. He didn’t hear an answer, but he could picture the way Kyungsoo was smiling down on whatever he was doing that moment, shaking his head and his eyes crinkling beautifully. Just thinking about those lips resembling a heart had the demon growing weak in his knees. Was he under the librarian’s spell and not the other way around?

“Come to the first story west wing window, Chanyeøl.” Chanyeøl jolted and the photograph in his hands slipped his grasp and unceremoniously dropped to the ground. Chanyeøl was shaking, but not out of fright, but something more carnal.

> _He finished preparing the summoning, and he knows, demon._

He stared back down on the photograph and swallowed down his pride. Kyungsoo had a life before him; he was a human. But why was he feeling like this all of a sudden? He turned around, ignoring the heartache he couldn’t feel and marched over to where Kyungsoo ordered him.

He was rooted to the spot when he saw Kyungsoo standing there, the librarian’s hand stuck in a severed head whose hair was dangling down. Yet the other hand held onto a photograph, the very photograph he had in his hand before and left on the ground. It was either the library that got it to him or for some reason Kyungsoo must’ve teleported, but he hadn’t heard the chime of the bells.

“He was my past lover, back when I still resided on earth. We worked together afterwards. But before that, it was kind of a tricky situation. I was just back at university after I received my doctorate, and he was a freshman.” He thumbed over the photograph, a sad smile transforming his face.

“I guess you’ve been his lecturer. Sounds at least like this is where it’s heading.” Chanyeøl suddenly felt bad for getting so overly jealous, the boy must’ve meant a lot to the librarian, a concept still foreign to the demon. As of now, he had only felt jealousy and some kind of possessive feeling that made him all tingly when Kyungsoo was giving him his undivided attention all day round.

Kyungsoo, uncharacteristically of his composed and quiet nature, snorted. It was a weird sight; he was still standing there with a forlorn expression on his face while looking at the photo and his loose dress shirt had one arm rolled up that was bloody till the elbow and his hand still plunged deep in the head.

“I swear, I never went out again when I knew that the students had some parties or whatever planned. The moment he saw me walking into the lecture hall, he got up and left and never returned. Rumours had it that someone could actually dislike me to the point they refused to be in the same hall as I.” His smile got wider. “He booked an appointment with me in my office to formally apologise and instead unashamedly flirted with me. He was lucky I was alone in the office. But he pestered me until I gave in, nothing I should be proud of. But instead, he said _fuck it, that’s the man I want and need,_ and he dropped out of his major at the time and did something entirely else just so we didn’t have any form of meetings in uni so he could fuck me. Well, not that drastic, but somewhat; he was insatiable.”

Kyungsoo really wasn’t ashamed of it, but it’s been over three hundred years for him by now and he spent some great three years with Johnny, but it wasn’t meant to last.

Chanyeøl hung his head in shame, “I’m sorry for reacting so poorly.”

“It’s okay, Chanyeøl. I would love to make you flustered by doing whatever I’d like to do right now, but, as you can see–” He held up the severed head, “Business is calling. You’re aware I’m going to kill them, are you?”

The demon nodded his head, he had prepared himself mentally. He might actually feel bad for either Chën or Suhø, but it couldn’t be helped, and it would set him free as well. “So, who’s going to be your first victim? And what’s with the head?” He leaned against the balustrade and crossed his arms before his chest. Those loose Hawaiian shirts really improved his room for movement.

“Yeah, remember the ‘boiling a virgin’s period blood’? Got something better, a virgin hunting fae, two birds one stone, y’know?” He raised the head a little before holding out the photo of him and his ex-lover to the demon. “Keep care of it for me? This will get ugly.”

Chanyeøl reluctantly took it, but he would kill for Kyungsoo at this rate already. He had everything he didn’t even dare dream about before, mostly equality and respect.

ʘ

Kyungsoo looked over the balustrade, looking like he was measuring something. “I’m sorry, library, but you gonna save some face and you should pull something over the shelves because this is getting nasty.” A magical whirring sounded throughout the library and Chanyeøl, as well as Kyungsoo, felt like magnets being forced away from the shelves. Kyungsoo shook his head and rolled his eyes, “Stay up here.”

He rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck before jumping easily on the balustrade, balancing himself there without a sweat. Chanyeøl glanced over the balcony and his eyes registered a rune circle. “On a second thought, you’re coming downstairs with me.”

Once he was down near the rune circle, he heard the librarian singing in a language unknown to him, but he thought he heard the name of Chën. A flashed appeared and Kyungsoo stood in the middle of the circle, his dagger piercing the head before he pulled back, muttering profanities.

“Did it wo—” Chanyeøl began but then the air crackled and an obvious portal split the time-space-continuum. Chën, in all his glory, stood there in a red suit, his hands pushed into the pants pockets, his hair in a styled wave while his piercing was shaking lightly. “Which meek mortal dares to call me. The price is your lif— Chanyeøl?!”

“S’up,” Kyungsoo averted the other demon’s attention to himself, lifting a bloody hand in greeting. Chanyeøl took the moment of opportunity and scrambled behind the smaller librarian. “You’ve gotten hold of something that doesn’t concern you and what you cannot handle. We can talk about the formalities and I might let you live but in regard to the place you’re in now, I technically can’t let you live because you’re being regarded as intruder even if I summoned you.”

“And who are you to think you can command me, human? And what is Chanyeøl doing here? Has he abandoned our ways?” The demon gave off a feeling of genuine concern and Chanyeøl would fall for it if he didn’t know better.

“Bullshit. You are fucking nutjobs, thinking you’re helping yourself by tending to an archangel that will fall deeper than Lucifer ever has. And about Chanyeøl, he’s bound to me.” Kyungsoo crossed his arms before his chest and distributed his weight on his other leg, making the bell ribbon jingle around his ankle.

A flash of recognition lit up the face of the newly arrived demon, “You’re the librarian whose books we need.” He stepped forward, trying to advance Kyungsoo, but with the first step taken, he crumbled to the ground, crying out in pain.

“You’re in my realm, demon, and you have no power here. And you have books in your possession I _demand_ to get back. Because all of you subsequently stole from me, leaving libraries in chaos and lives lost.” The demon in the circle, Chën, wide-eyed, clawed at his throat before his hands advanced upwards.

“Chanyeøl, look away,” Kyungsoo’s voice was soft over the screams of the other demon when he turned around and took the pink-haired demon’s face in his hands. Kyungsoo turned back around and Chanyeøl dropped his face into the crook of his neck, covering his ears with his hands and all he could hear was Kyungsoo’s faint and steady heartbeat.

Chën clawed out his eyes while thunder was wreaking havoc inside his body, driving him mad with fear. No-one had ever felt such power influencing him. His limp body plunged to the ground, before disintegrating into the rune circle all of a sudden, leaving behind books where his body once was. Yet all that was left from him, was his lip-ear-jewellery.

“Chanyeøl?” The demon carefully removed his hands from his ears and looked to the spot where Chën once was. For some reason, this death didn’t hurt him physically. “I’m sorry for having done that, the library told me that he was still the nicest to you, yet I let him meet such end.” Kyungsoo genuinely looked heartbroken but Chanyeøl shook his head and took the librarian’s face in his palms, “It had to be done. If it means I can stay with you, so be it, Kyungsoo.”

Kyungsoo placed his palm over the hand on his face. Chanyeøl felt the scarred burn rough on his skin; the scar would never heal and always be a reminder of him almost killing Kyungsoo, driven by bloodlust. He turned his head, grasping the hand, leaving a chaste kiss on the scarring.

“I’ll prepare the next summoning, they might be on mine or our tails now,” Kyungsoo whispered softly while grasping with his other hand Chanyeøl’s face, running his thumb along with the apple of his cheek.

“Let me help you, I think I know a less complicated way to summon Su.” Chanyeøl hung his head, his breath fanning over Kyungsoo’s exposed neck while tonguing the skin, getting small whimpers out of Kyungsoo’s plump lips.

Summoning Suhø was easier than expected, Kyungsoo almost wanted to laugh.

ʘ

Chanyeøl lay in the night with the silent man, his head propped on the man’s chest who was carding his fingers through the demon’s pink locks. He didn’t speak, he never did, but this night the demon was just as silent. He was confused, but he also felt the need to mourn someone he once considered a brother to be dead. Kyungsoo had reassured him throughout the day that it was absolutely okay to mourn the loss of Chën. He whimpered Kyungsoo’s name in pain, curling into himself and the embrace around tightened in reassurance as well.

Chanyeøl’s head plunged onto the mattress when the man under him suddenly disappeared and pain ripped through his chest. Another low-class demon had attempted to steal. Chanyeøl didn’t understand how they managed to get here when even he had such difficulties conjuring an image of the library for the short moment when he had taken the librarian with him. It took him almost a year and that time he had been awaited by both the library and the small man that robbed him of his last breath.

The man materialised back into the room and started unbuttoning his shirt. Chanyeøl, as if on command, scrambled on all fours, awaiting some form of intimacy he was rewarded with, when the man settled behind him, his calloused hands smoothing down the soft skin on the inside skin of his thighs, before sinking his teeth in a teasing manner into the flesh of his neck. Chanyeøl let out a sigh of content.

ʘ

* * *

apparat – [CARONTE](https://youtu.be/5iVOXgZYKk8)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comments and thoughts, as short as they may be are very much appreciated~  
> hit me up on [twt](https://mobile.twitter.com/fallacyofwhat) if you want to talk to me, I'm pretty much kinda inactive there since the account is still new, but that can change.


	4. The Librarian and Water

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “He’s a demon,” Chanyeøl stuttered behind his hands that were covering his mouth. The invisible weight seemed to pull him into an embrace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _warnings apply._

Kyungsoo eyed the demon with suspicion and the demon found himself flustered under the scrutiny he received ever since he stepped into the librarian’s vision who was already at the reception desk when he emerged from Kyungsoo’s private quarters. Kyungsoo looked at him, gnawing on his lower lip but sucking it in before releasing it again, his brows where furrowed in a manner that Kyungsoo was outright glaring at him. He was wearing glasses, that meant he was truly glaring at Chanyeøl.

“Did I do—” He started but was soon interrupted by Kyungsoo who suddenly got up, his bell ribbon chiming anxiously, yet the one on his ear sounded angry. He glared at Chanyeøl before walking away at a brisk pace.

The demon wanted to follow him, but something kept him grounded to the spot.

> _He needs space, demon._

He was unwilling to, but the library warned him, so he complied. There was still a lot he didn’t know about Kyungsoo and the man may be forever shrouded in mystery and Chanyeøl wasn’t so sure about the librarian being an ordinary human with some magic in him anymore. He had observed him for around two months now, yet the only thing he really knew was that the libraries layout changed with the clock striking nine in the night and changed back to its ordinary layout by five in the morning when Chanyeøl was still fast asleep. And throughout the day, there was no fireplace just armchairs to be found, the ones the man during the night occupied and where he stared into the fire that seemed to be licking at its surroundings to reach the man who was always out of reach. He once tried to bring it up to Kyungsoo, but he only brushed it off. The library kept just as mum beside it starting to get chattier with the demon.

Chanyeøl aimlessly wandered the halls of the library for what seemed to be hours. The sun was now shining through the windows of the south when suddenly a sound from the glass caught his attention. There was sitting a raven and he was unsure what he should do. He saw something bound to the bird’s leg and thought about opening the window when he took notice of the chiming of some by now well-knows bells that closed in.

“Don’t open the window if you don’t want her to devour you,” Kyungsoo pulled him towards him and then pushed him behind. Opening the window, he presented a biscuit before letting the raven hop in, removing the letter on his leg and continue on his arm. Once the raven was seated on his shoulder, it turned towards the demon and Chanyeøl felt a massive surge of something they would call the energy of a world-destroyer emanated by the raven before it turned into a piercing attached to Kyungsoo’s ear.

He took a step back, “What are you?”

Kyungsoo turned around to him, his expression unreadable and he balled up the letter in his hand. He took a step towards Chanyeøl and the demon took one back. “These demons never were a match for me, my dear Chanyeøl, even the archangel has to realise it soon, but my power is limited outside this library, otherwise I’d be already on a crusade for you.”

Chanyeøl found himself cornered against a shelf by Kyungsoo, the arms caging him. And the situation might’ve been endearing if it wasn’t for Kyungsoo being so cold and emotionless. Yet Chanyeøl let himself be manhandled when Kyungsoo’s fingers curled around his neck and forced him down, claiming his lips in want and demand. He was very reminiscent of the man during the night and Chanyeøl felt his knees buckle.

“I would be ready to summon that water dude, but just thinking about massive amounts of waters in my library makes be anxious and jittery.” It’s been a week later, and Kyungsoo almost had everything prepared for every summoning, the library for once looking slightly a mess. Visitors were confused by a jingling mess of Kyungsoo, but he managed to get everyone out and the ministry off his back, to some extent at least. The mage had visited again, but just to corner Chanyeøl and making suggestive remarks and his hands flitting over the expanse of the demon’s exposed chest, daring to leave a kiss on his neck before being kicked out by Kyungsoo who had the dagger out this time around.

“I thought he can’t come here without an appointment?” The demon had Kyungsoo in his lap while the other was flipping through a book, searching for something.

“I make the main calls for who is allowed and who isn’t, but the library can decide on its own and granted him an audience because he delivered this book here I dearly needed…” His speech faltered and he seemed to have found what he was looking for. The demon tightened his hold on the smaller man and peeked into the book, but he couldn’t read the language it was written in. “Ah, thought so, the wind bearer _is_ an offspring of Narcissus. In some sense at least.”

Chanyeøl was amazed and frightened by how easily information was accessible about them to anyone who knew what they’re looking for. “What do you mean by that?”

“I assume you don’t know the tale of the handsome youth who fell in love with his own reflection and then died because he pined over himself?”

Chanyeøl shook his head. “Well, it doesn’t matter, but the wind bearer was created by the wind falling in love with a narcissus flower and who took the flower with him. Weird shit, man, weird shit.” Kyungsoo shook his head. But I can work with that information. Now unto the water dude. You’re sure about that?”

“Yes, he might answer my call. He never refused until now and if I’m hurt it might do the trick…” He eyed the dagger on Kyungsoo’s ear, but the librarian shook his head.

“This one is going to kill you; I can’t have that happen.” He admitted to wanting to keep Chanyeøl around indirectly and the demon hid his flushed face in the librarian’s back.

Chanyeøl was sweating profusely with Kyungsoo hovering above him, his eyes and expression in a full-on murder mood. He inhaled deeply and shut his eyes; he was fearing for his life, even if he did trust Kyungsoo on this one. He gritted his teeth, blaring them, but the knee on his chest kept him from arching his back to get away and the pressure intensified when he felt his lungs screaming for a steady flow of air. His eyes shot open when his skin was cut open and he let out a scream, his lungs deflating even more and with every last ounce of sanity left, he first called out Kyungsoo’s name before he called out.

“Suhø!”

Cold washed over him and he felt like suffocating, gasping for air that was taken away from him. He was a demon, yet he was the one that still needed oxygen to keep his fire going.

“Chanyeøl!” A demon with a red suit and accompanying red hair appeared in the summoning circle, unaware of the stench of blood he was standing in. He franticly looked around until he spotted Chanyeøl wriggling on the ground, unable to get up and with tears in his eyes. Seeing the younger demon like this must’ve distracted the newcomer so much, that he didn’t see the small man with a dagger in his hand crouching close to Chanyeøl, keeping his eyes trained on both of them.

“You dare to call me when you brought this upon yourself?” The red-haired demon hissed and stepped towards the other, fury dancing in his pupils.

“I’m so sorry, Suhø,” was the only thing Chanyeøl managed to get out of from under his restraints and at once, the shackles around him exploded and he hurriedly breathed in and choked on the air, curling to the side and holding onto his chest.

The newcomer was about to reply when he finally took notice of the naked feet and knees next to Chanyeøl who was grabbing onto the stranger’s ankle.

“It hurts me, that I had to hurt Chanyeøl to get you where I wanted, demon.” The demon’s eyes shot up and he was taken aback, his eyes widening in something similar to recognition. He moved backwards, but soon found out he was caught in an unbreakable barrier.

“How is that possible? How are you still alive?” Suhø stuttered while Kyungsoo slowly stepped into the circle, unbothered by the attempts of Suhø to use the water found in his body to hurt him.

“Your powers will not yield results in this dimension. This is my realm and I’ll take the books you stole from me. And why I’m still alive? I’m older than all of you at this point in this realm and otherwise. What you thought to be some hundred years ago me, oh poor _Junmyeon_ , was a doppelgänger, a decoy. How dumb you are. Chën actually didn’t recognise me. But I’m delighted to know you remember my face, at least.”

“What are you planning to do with him?” Suhø jerked his head towards Chanyeøl.

Chanyeøl was knocked out from the stress and strain his body was put under.

“I keep him, I started to like him and his only way to leave from here is to die, and I don’t plan on killing him. He likes me, more than liking actually. He gives himself to me voluntarily. He might’ve not looked for me again if you weren’t such assholes to the youngest. You know what’s worse?”

Suhø shook his head, afraid to hear the answer.

“He helps me summoning you, to get my books back. When you die, remember, you brought this on your own and the little demon here betrayed you.” The smirk on Kyungsoo’s face let any liquid in Suhø’s body freeze. His eyes were void of any emotion, positive nor negative. Just two empty shells staring back at Suhø. The demon felt his consciousness slipping from his grasp, and he realised that Kyungsoo was muttering under his breath, and his breathing turned heavier. Standing and thinking got harder with every passing second and he realised that Kyungsoo was using his own element against him, freezing him up. “Greet hell for me, asshole.”

ʘ

He went too deep with the cuts and stitched the demon up while he was still unconscious.

“You’re telling me that it was his idea that you’re cutting him open? I hardly believe that.” The person’s voice was oozing with suspicion.

“Yes, I can’t believe it myself, but he seemed so determined to help me while I could’ve done without bloodshed.” The shrug was evident in the voice.

“Bullshit, you would’ve needed blood anyway for the summoning circle. By the way, what did you use? The library mentioned you needed to actually speak a spell out loud to get rid of it?”

The other person chortled, “If someone told me that centaur blood is such a mess, I would’ve used unicorn blood instead.”

“For the glittery shine, you mean?” A slap was heard, followed by laughing.

“I’m going to drown you in unicorn blood if you don’t stop that.”

“But back to him; natural selection, I guess.”

“Big words for someone as stupid as you are.” The statement was followed by a _tsk._

“Yeah, I leave that to you. Ah, he’s stirring, I guess it’s about time for me to leave.” The person stood up and their joints popped. “I’m not getting any younger.”

“Come into my age first and we can discuss this again. And he’s rousing since you arrived.”

“God, you’re really the same everywhere.” A loud smack of lips on a cheek arrived at Chanyeøl’s ear who gained more consciousness with each minute.

“Fuck off, you’re disgusting.” The person laughed from getting their thigh assaulted by hits from what seemed to be Kyungsoo.

Chanyeøl saw a shadow falling over him behind his closed lids. The voice over him dropped to a whisper, “Keep care of our Kyungsoo, Chanyeøl.” Soft lips pressed against his forehead. “I’m going, Soo-yah. See you.”

“Chanyeøl, open your damn eyes, I know you’re awake.” A foot nudged his thigh and he slowly opened his eyes. Once he regained his sight, still lightly blurred around the edges, he turned his face to the direction Kyungsoo’s voice was coming from. The librarian had his feet crossed on the demon’s thigh, reclined in his seat and a tea in hand.

“How are you feeling? The bandages aren’t too tight?” Kyungsoo pulled his feet back and leaned over the demon, checking his temperature by pressing the back of his hand onto his forehead, but Chanyeøl had other plans and pulled the hand down and kissed the palm of it.

“I’m feeling great, Kyungsoo, stop fretting.” Chanyeøl smiled at the fussing librarian.

“Bullshit, you fell unconscious; how the fuck are you a demon?” Kyungsoo pulled a face full of disdain.

“Usually we don’t let people touch us.” The demon let out an embarrassed laugh, he scratched the back of his head, feeling the pull of bandaged around his torso, but also further down. Looking down, he was met with a sight that pushed his blood into his face. His other thigh was also wrapped up in bandages and his groin area was just barely covered by a thin piece of fabric and everything underneath it was easily discernible. “Did the other person see me like this?”

“Nothing he didn’t see before,” Kyungsoo had his nose buried in a book again, uncaring to the feelings of the demon, his other hand absentmindedly running along the expanse of Chanyeøl’s exposed thigh closest to him. “I mean, I’m kind of showing you off.” He didn’t lift his eyes off the book but turned his face into the demon’s direction.

Chanyeøl hid his blushing face behind his palms, wheezing into them. Kyungsoo had a weird way of showing affection. A bell chimed and Chanyeøl peeked between his fingers. His breath got caught in his throat when he saw Kyungsoo leaning over him, keeping eye contact when he leaned down and unashamedly ran his tongue along the expanse of the exposed skin on his inner thigh before looking up again. “You’re tasting very well, Chanyeøl.” Was it really happening?

Kyungsoo’s hands pushed his thighs carefully apart and leaned further down, his lips pressing down on the clothed dick of Chanyeøl who slowly stirred to life.

The blowjob he received was probably the best of his demon life and Chanyeøl had no idea where his head was. The human really must have hexed him.

ʘ

The attacks on libraries went lower, but they still being targeted, and the demon was amazed at how many libraries must’ve been there. One morning he awoke suddenly when he heard violent breaking of something and he shot up in his bedding, rushing out of the room in nothing but his underwear and an overly long shirt he had the decency to throw over. But before he could yell for Kyungsoo, he ducked down behind some shelves.

The librarian wasn’t alone, and he was staring up ahead to the ceiling of the library. Chanyeøl, following his line of sight, suppressed a gasp by pressing his hands over his overly loud mouth. There were deep and continuous cracks all over the library’s walls and it stretched further and further towards the sky.

The library was expanding.

Looking back down to the human, Chanyeøl could see Kyungsoo jolting in pain every time a deafening crack reached their ears, and his eyes resembled one of a deer caught in the headlights. The men next to him seemed very unfriendly and wore violent expressions on their faces. Upon further inspection, he saw them wearing weapons and he steeled himself and heightened his senses if something was amiss. But it wasn’t.

Kyungsoo’s bell chimed and his head whipped around, his eyes easily finding Chanyeøl’s eyes between the cracks of books he pushed cautiously aside. He warned him with his eyes not to be dumb and do something rash. The man next to him, turned around after his eyes fell on Kyungsoo and he followed the librarian’s line of sight but couldn’t see anything.

“You have to assign new librarians, Mr Doh.” The man suddenly spoke, his deep voice uncannily unpleasant to the ears.

“I have to do shit. You won’t see me assigning librarians. If you didn’t realise it yet, but the libraries that lost their guardians crumbled to dust. What do you think this library is doing?” Kyungsoo’s voice was agitated when he looked the man in the eye.

“This is the order from the ministry.” There was a finality to the man’s words.

“The ministry can choke on my dick. I’m not the one assigning shit. The library does.” The librarian’s voice was low. From the way his posture changed, Chanyeøl could tell the library was talking to him.

> _Demon, stay low now. You can’t get back to the room right now. I finished expanding._

He almost jolted when he heard the library’s whisper in his ear. And he did was he was told, crouching further down.

“You can be happy that I didn’t murder you on sight when you barged in here with your men, Mr Meyers. I remember very clearly telling you about the procedures about forcing your entry here.” Kyungsoo fully turned towards the man next to him, jamming his hands into the pockets of his cardigan. He wasn’t wearing shoes and Chanyeøl had the feeling that Kyungsoo was preoccupied with preparations, judging by the blood dried on his ankle and neck. Chanyeøl could smell it wasn’t his, but something he didn’t smell until now.

“You should hand over the books that went back into your possession, clearly they are not safe with you.”

“Not save, you say? Are you kidding me? Compared to you nutjobs, yeah, all of you and your shitty _ministry_ , I got my hands on two of the demons you were unable to hunt down. Now tell me who’s the incompetent nutjob that couldn’t even keep libraries safe. And for your information, as well as your ignorance and the oath I swore to not change the course of history; I _know_ who’s the one responsible for all of this. I can’t tell you who or what it is, but I gladly show you the documents and proof I received from the future. Don’t look at me as if I’m crazy. I _do_ know a lot more than all of you combined.” Chanyeøl was shocked to see Kyungsoo, the ever composed and quiet Kyungsoo, losing his cool and jabbing so hard into the man’s chest with his finger that the towering man stumbled backwards. “Never question my integrity ever again when you are so incompetent and what you’re doing. How many lives were lost?”

The other men started pulling out their weapons, but Kyungsoo seemed to be uncaring. An invisible weight settled down on the demon’s shoulder and he couldn’t move the moment he thought about springing into action.

> _Watch and learn, young demon._

The air inside the library was changing significantly and Chanyeøl watched mesmerized Kyungsoo’s hair growing longer in locks, reaching his chest and a halo surrounding him in a colour Chanyeøl couldn’t describe and had never seen before. The industrial raven earring started to glow and grow bigger, the raven spreading his wings, yet growing bigger and bigger until it resembled a pitch-black wyvern whose skin was so black it was almost unable to reflect the light.

Chanyeøl’s eyes went bigger and bigger and his voice got stuck in his throat. A scar was appearing on both sides of his lips, growing further and further, reaching his ears and his eyes changing from a dark brown to brilliant emerald green.

Kyungsoo _is_ the man from the nights.

“He’s a demon,” Chanyeøl stuttered behind his hands that were covering his mouth. The invisible weight seemed to pull him into an embrace.

> _There’s more to the librarian than anyone knows, young demon._

The tall man fell back on his behind, a scream stuck in his throat. That wyvern had curled around Kyungsoo, the demon, and Chanyeøl understood what Kyungsoo meant by getting devoured.

“Get out of here and never come back you scum.” Kyungsoo’s voice was even lower than usual. It was whether the right time, nor the right place, but Chanyeøl felt the voice sending a shiver down his spine, straight to his groins. The demon could make him come alone from his voice and Chanyeøl understood why the man never uttered a word in the nights.

The men fled the scene and the wyvern lazily followed them with a movement of its head. But Chanyeøl couldn’t keep his eyes off Kyungsoo who was staring at him and seemed to call on him. Chanyeøl didn’t realise his feet were dragging him to the smaller man and he dropped to his knees, his hands reaching for the clothes and he buried his face in the man’s stomach, “Kyungsoo.”

“It’s all right now. They won’t come anymore. I promise.” Fingers buried in his hair scraped his skull with blunt fingernails and Chanyeøl, embarrassingly, purred in content.

“Why did you never tell me?” His own voice sounded foreign to him for some reason.

“And you really thought that you were fucking two different people and I was okay with that? That I wouldn’t know that you were fucking me almost every night? You even called me Kyungsoo without knowing or realising.” The was a lilt in Kyungsoo’s speech and Chanyeøl whipped his head up, beet-red in his face. He was about to stutter an apology, but hot air breathing down his neck made him turn rigid and he almost didn’t turn around. Grasping around Kyungsoo’s frame, he slowly turned his head, Kyungsoo’s hand lovingly resting at the side of his face. He was sure he was looking like a scared kid.

“She likes you,” Kyungsoo scratched under Chanyeøl’s ear and his other hand reached out for the wyvern’s snout.

Chanyeøl gingerly reached out for the wyvern who nibbed at his head and his throat escaped a high-pitched noise of amazement that surprised him. He heard Kyungsoo, still in his glorious demon form, chuckle. The wyvern changed back into the earring and Chanyeøl was a bit bummed.

He tried standing up, but Kyungsoo kept him down, looking at him with eyes filled with lust and Chanyeøl couldn’t comprehend fast enough when the fingers scratching at his ear, curled around his chin and two fingers pressed against his lips. Kyungsoo had his hand curled around his chin, forcing his face upwards while he was still kneeling before him. “Be a good boy, open up.” Kyungsoo commended the demon who obliged. Two fingers settled on his tongue and he began to suck on them, his tongue curling around the ring, giving Kyungsoo a show. This definitely explained a lot. The change between day and night, Kyungsoo looking at him during the day like he forgot something.

He pressed his legs together when he felt his dick stirring to life.

“Excited, Chanyeøl?” Kyungsoo asked with a wicked smirk and Chanyeøl nodded as well as he could with sucking on the fingers somewhat fucking into his mouth. He turned the demon’s face towards his crotch where a tent already builds. Chanyeøl, hungrily, grabbed his own dick over his boxer shorts and with his unoccupied hand tried getting the zipper open of Kyungsoo’s trousers, pulling both the trousers and his underwear down. Kyungsoo removed his fingers from the demon’s mouth and fisted his hand into his hair, pressing Chanyeøl further to his crotch who greedily opened his mouth and rested the dick his stuck-out tongue. He moved his head further down, licking a strip along the thick vein of Kyungsoo’s dick before enveloping the head in his lips, listening to the deep groan Kyungsoo let out and that aroused him even more.

He took the dick deeper and deeper until it hit his throat, thankfully he had no gag reflex and Kyungsoo was just overly thick and not deep-throating lengthy. He bobbed his head up and down until the librarian forced him to a stop, tugging hard at his hair and the demon let out a deep moan Kyungsoo must’ve felt around his dick.

“Look up, I want to watch you when I fuck your mouth.” Kyungsoo’s deep and condescending demon-voice made Chanyeøl’s dick twitch and he yanked his underwear down, hastily fisting his own dick and starting to jerk off. Kyungsoo didn’t lie when he was saying that he was fucking his mouth and Chanyeol came long before Kyungsoo just from how sexy the librarian was.

“I’m going to come,” Kyungsoo pulled back, but Chanyeøl gripped his hips to keep him rooted, eyes closed and mouth open, tongue hanging out.

“Oh, you naughty boy,” was all the warning he got before Kyungsoo jerked himself off and Chanyeol felt warm sticky come coating his tongue and mouth, running along his cheeks and he actually decided that he wanted to bottom for Kyungsoo and take all his sweet semen and get thoroughly fucked by him until he couldn’t walk anymore. The fingers in his hair got untangled and he felt Kyungsoo crouching down before him, his soft hands, without the burn scar, on his cheeks. He mewled and moaned when he felt Kyungsoo licking off his own cum off his face. He kissed him, shoving his tongue down his throat and Chanyeøl sacked into Kyungsoo whose tongue was twirling around his own, before sucking and biting down on his lower lip, “Such a good boy.”

Chanyeol only realised, when he was washed and dressed in the armchair, that he was still riding on his high from the time he sucked Kyungsoo off. The librarian wasn’t lying when he said his ‘human energy’ tasted well. Now he understood what he meant by the implication. He fed the demon with his own energy through sex and intimacy all the time. Chanyeøl didn’t know if he was supposed to be angry or happy.

The librarian had changed into his human form after the blowjob, with Chanyeøl’s head pillowed on his thighs and explained what was going on, but he refused to speak about the fact that he was a demon. Chanyeøl would learn the reasons soon enough—his words.

ʘ

Kyungsoo, in his nightly demon form, was staring at the fireplace, not speaking nor moving, but Chanyeøl had reached out for the others hand and was surprised when the other man squeezed his hand in return and let Chanyeøl play with his fingers until he fell asleep.

Kyungsoo didn’t sleep. Something Chanyeol as well just _then_ realised. He only drank coffee or tea, he didn’t eat, nor sleep nor did he do anything human-like. Chanyeøl was a demon himself, but he needed the sleep — Kyungsoo definitely must be a different kind of demon than he was.

ʘ

“By the way, the ring you sucked on so graciously,” Kyungsoo smirked at him and Chanyeøl was somewhat afraid, heat rising to his face. “That’s a lindworm.”

His eyes went wide, “I know I asked already, but who or what the fuck are you? I never heard of someone owning either a wyvern or a lindworm, even less both _and_ shapeshifting for the matter.”

Kyungsoo nonchalantly shrugged his shoulders, “Perk of being a librarian, I guess?”

Chanyeøl shook his head, he knew he wouldn’t get more out of Kyungsoo. “So, who’s next?”

“The wind bearer. He’s more on the unpredictable side and I know that he won’t be as easy as Chën or Suhø. So, Yöl,” Chanyeøl grunted unhappily at the nickname, “Any known weaknesses?”

“Except for his own confidence?”

Kyungsoo snorted and muttered something under his breath the demon couldn’t pick up on. “Huh?”

“Nothing. That’s nothing I can really start with. I might have an idea, need to look into books with wind spells. I guess I need to employ help from Ink.”

“Who?”

Kyungsoo rolled his eyes, “My wyvern. The lindworm is called Pepper.”

“Is, please don’t tell me it’s true but is Pepper grey?” Chanyeøl had a bad feeling about this, mainly about Kyungsoo doing reasoned decisions.

“Yes.” Kyungsoo, unperturbed, crooked his finger and mentioned the demon towards himself, patting his lap. “C’mere.” The demon was hesitating, but he felt an invisible and forceful pull and he stumbled towards the librarian. He caught himself at the backrest of the chair Kyungsoo was sitting on and leaned over the smaller man who smiled up devilish. With some abrupt motions, he had his hands on Chanyeøl’s backside, squeezing the soft flesh of his ass before forcing him on his lap. Chanyeøl went red around his collar and ears when he was forced to straddle the librarian’s lap who ran his hands up and down the thighs, massaging the exposed skin. Chanyeøl shivered.

“Nervous, honey?” Was Kyungsoo ever taking him seriously? “And I was fucking with you, Pepper is a rare yellow Northern Cardinal if she isn’t in her lindworm form.” He was so inexpressive when he was joking around with Chanyeøl and it set the demon off. He never knew if Kyungsoo was serious or not.

“Can’t you be at least a bit more expressive? I never know if you’re serious with me or not.” Chanyeøl hung his head, staring down at his big hands sprawled over Kyungsoo’s chest. He felt a heartbeat under his hand, and it made him feel so warm, warmth creeping up from the pads of his fingers up his hands and arms.

Kyungsoo nosed along his cheek, pressing plush lips against his jaw and the tip of his nose, until the demon looked up, closing his eyes and leaning into the attempted kiss. Chanyeøl’s hands settled on the side of his neck, his thumbs pressing pressed into the jaw and his index fingers pressing behind the spot of Kyungsoo’s earlobes on both sides, while Kyungsoo was nipping on his lower lip, pulling the soft flesh between his teeth, electing a soft groan from Chanyeøl who didn’t realise he was grinding slowly into Kyungsoo’s groin. He only realised it when Kyungsoo’s hands went under his shirt on his hips, thumbs pressing into the skin and keeping him in place, “Not– now, demon—tonight.” The way he spoke into the kiss and his mouth made the demon’s head spin, before Kyungsoo plunged his tongue into Chanyeøl’s mouth, curling it around his own and the demon pressed his lips more snugly towards the librarian’s lips. Their tongues dancing around each other, caressing while Chanyeøl felt his sanity slipping slowly from his grip. He was sure Kyungsoo felt the same, there was more force behind his movements when he bit down on his upper lip, thumbs pressing with force in the demon’s hips, drawing circles on the skin.

“Chanyeøl– we need– to pre– pare the –summoning.” Kyungsoo pressed his lips in between words along Chanyeøl’s neck and jaw, licking over the demon’s pulse point that was transporting his fire. He carefully pushed him off his lap, but the demon still tried to chase his lips, unwilling to let go just now. He was already straining against his pants and he wasn’t sure, but it felt a little wet already, most probably from the pre-come. Chanyeøl’s bulge was noticeable in the linen shorts he was wearing, and Kyungsoo pressed the heel of his palm against it for pressure, and Chanyeøl let out an embarrassing sound between a gasp and a moan. Oh, how he wanted to devour him right now, but it had to wait.

“Kyungsoo,” the demon whined when Kyungsoo got him off his lap finally, but now the demon was standing, and Kyungsoo unfortunate had his crotch right in front of his face, and it was all too tempting. When did he start to become so lenient?

“Yöl, we only have a small time frame and I decided against wind spells.” He already felt his own erection softening, stirring his thoughts into another direction.

Chanyeøl helped him up, pouting. “What is your idea?”

“Something we’ll never talk about again. I’m going for methods forbidden for all eternity, technically. It’s dangerous and unethical, only used by that evil, obviously. There are ‘softer’ versions of those spells, but I’m in possession of such books.” The smile on Kyungsoo’s face was malicious, and his left iris flashed green for the blink of an eye. “And not only do I own and know those contents of these books but…” He tapped against his temple with his index finger, “All memorised, my love.”

“You mean spells in those forbidden books that are being targeted?” Chanyeøl’s shoulders rose and he crossed his arms before his chest, an expression on his face that was filled with something comparable to curious fear.

“Worse. Books left untouched for aeons. Books that are supposed to be non-existent. That’s also why I can’t have you running around here and touch every book you want.” Kyungsoo stepped closer to the demon who instinctively took a step back. For some reason, he feared the librarian in instances like this because he knew how easy the small man could end his miserable life for all eternity without chances of possessing a new host or being reborn. He was sure that Kyungsoo was more or less toying with the demons he summoned, to still the hunger for it, for dominance. There must be something else, also concerning his demon form in the night.

“Yöl, I can see the gears turning in your head.” Kyungsoo suddenly crowding his personal space, arm wrapped around his waist, pulling him flush against himself. “Are you slowly understanding what is going on? What I’m doing?”

“I’m, I’m not entirely sure, to be honest. But I think I got a gist of understanding.” Chanyeøl admitted, but he felt like he was lying to himself if he was _really_ honest with himself.

“Good.” That’s the only thing Kyungsoo said before he pulled the taller demon in for a peck on his lips.

ʘ

* * *

Fabi Silvestri Gazzè - [Life Is Sweet](https://youtu.be/QY-ft6YXy48)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comments and thoughts, as short as they may be are very much appreciated~  
> hit me up on [twt](https://mobile.twitter.com/fallacyofwhat) if you want to talk to me, I'm pretty much kinda inactive there since the account is still new, but that can change.


	5. The Librarian and Wind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Stop that, it’s disgusting. Don’t talk to them is if they’re younger than you are.” Kyungsoo hissed but without bite and Chanyeøl heard a smile in the words.  
> “Wait, they are?”  
> “Yes, they are as old as I am,” Kyungsoo replied.  
> Chanyeøl looked up, “How _old_ are you?” Kyungsoo couldn’t be _that_ much older, could he?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  _//unbetaed_  
>  it's getting confusing because (a) shitty maths and (b) big revealations!

Chanyeøl was following Kyungsoo like a baby duck its mother for the whole day, and if it annoyed Kyungsoo, he didn’t say it. He had a mug clutched in his hands, keeping the tea warm and steamy. Kyungsoo indulged him by letting him grab the books higher up he couldn’t reach, even though Chanyeøl was perfectly aware of the fact that the librarian could get them himself. But maybe it was his version of keeping Chanyeøl entertained, even tot the point he let pass the crude remarks of Chanyeøl concerning his height. He knew he would get back at him during the night.

“Uh, Kyungsoo?” Kyungsoo hummed in acknowledgement.

“Mind telling me how you want to go about Se?” Chanyeøl leaned on his reception desk, picking dirt under his nails. He wasn’t able to look Kyungsoo in the eye for some reason, but the librarian didn’t want to point that out.

“You might’ve said it in a joking manner, but his confidence _is_ his weakness. And in reality, there are some things he’s very diffident about.” Kyungsoo answered.

Chanyeøl nodded his head in understanding before realising the meaning of the words. “Wait, how’d you know?”

“You want to hear the dark truth about me, or want to ask him yourself?” There was a knowing smirk on his face, one that screamed confidence and reasoned arrogance.

The demon pressed his thumb against his lower lip, before biting the nail, “Shit. Both… I mean, I barely know anything about you, and I don’t know how much you know about me. So, I can’t connect everything just yet, heck, most of the loose ends are a complete mystery to me.”

“That’s true, we don’t really know anything about each other, but I know too much about those trying to defy me. You passed out when I confronted Suhø, so maybe try staying conscious this time around.” Chanyeøl nodded his head eagerly. He didn’t feel remorse for those he once might have considered brothers in arms and it made Kyungsoo’s chest lighter.

ʘ

Chanyeøl, the overgrown baby he was, had his head hidden in the crook of Kyungsoo’s neck, breathing shallowly while his hips jerked into the hand jerking him off and he released with a muffled cry against the man’s skin who left pecks on the side of his face, mumbling praises that Chanyeøl had done and behaved well for him. But something about Kyungsoo in his demon form made him start to lose control over himself and he wasn’t sure why. But just Kyungsoo making him come from touching him, whispering praises into his ear while he was unaffected turned Chanyeøl’s legs into jelly and his otherwise perfect stamina wore off. And Kyungsoo had mentioned something about trying something about making him orgasm from his voice alone while playing around with Chanyeøl and it just made the fire lit up in his stomach in a burst. But not tonight, Kyungsoo was a man on a mission.

Chanyeøl, timidly as he could be, had asked Kyungsoo to let some steam off before they would summon Sehůn and Kyungsoo had pulled him on his lap, making quick work of getting Chanyeøl pliant under his fingertips and Chanyeøl couldn’t find any complaints about that.

ʘ

Kyungsoo, in his oh-so-beautiful demon form, sat in the middle of the library, cross-legged and meditating. Pepper, the yellow cardinal was hopping around, closer, and closer to Chanyeøl who set a reasonable distance away as if not to disturb the man. He’d given him some crackers before in case his beast should get loose. Ink, in her raven form, was perched upon Kyungsoo’s thigh, staying with the man while he was emitting some form of glow reminiscent of an Aurora Borealis. Pepper was hopping around Chanyeøl for a long time before flapping her wings and settling on his knee, hiking her way up to his chest where he had the biscuits. Once he dared to move again, Chanyeøl slowly reached for the treat in his chest pocket. He broke the biscuit apart, offering some to Pepper who fed from his hand. Ink, upon seeing the little tasty treasure, flapped her wings and easily descended towards Chanyeøl, letting out a croak, who jolted a little and offered the other bird the other half of it.

“I’m surprised they warmed up that easily to you. I guess you are indeed special, demon.” Kyungsoo didn’t open his eyes.

“I mean, they are both adorable, at least in their bird form, but even as a wyvern, Ink has a special charm.” Chanyeol, mesmerised, scratch with his finger—that was giant compared to Pepper’s small head—the Cardinal’s head with slow rubs. The bird, obviously enjoying the ministrations, seemed to be chatting excitedly with the demon with her chirping. “Oh, who’s a little gold coin? Yes, you are,” Chanyeøl cooed at her in baby language.

“Stop that, it’s disgusting. Don’t talk to them is if they’re younger than you are.” Kyungsoo hissed but without bite and Chanyeøl heard a smile in the words.

“Wait, they are?”

“Yes, they are as old as I am,” Kyungsoo replied.

Chanyeøl looked up, “How _old_ are you?” Kyungsoo couldn’t be _that_ much older, could he?

Kyungsoo stretched his head backwards, still not opening his eyes, “Considering my human age… Ah, I was 34 when I came here, that’s also the reason I might look older than you are. Chanyeol itself is now, I believe 49, looking like mid-twenty. I make a very wild assumption that you’re probably the same age, plus ten to twenty years?”

Chanyeøl indeed was 73, but he was surprised to learn that the mage was already 49. “How long are you here then?”

“Don’t stress me, I’m thinking. Last time I spoke with Johnny when you got here… Twelve years in human years.” Kyungsoo stopped speaking.

“So you would be 46 now in human years? But you said twelve days equal a year here, that means you’re…oh dear, I can’t count with such big numbers…” Chanyeøl directed his attention to Ink who headbutted his hand demanding also scratches.

“365 years, that means I’m 399 years old. Damn,” Kyungsoo’s eyes fluttered open and Chanyeøl shivered under the sudden attention and felt his face getting warm. “The little rascals you lived with, I believe to remember B and K are the oldest? I’m just surprised ‘cause all of them are around almost three hundred years old and here you are, being all cutesy 73 years old.”

Chanyeøl inhaled sharply. he didn’t tell Kyungsoo his age earlier; still, he had been overly precise with the number. There really was something Kyungsoo didn’t open about.

Kyungsoo suddenly pulled a wristwatch from his cardigan pocket, “Osh should be here in a couple of minutes.”

“Osh?” Chanyeol tilted his head, watching how Pepper imitated him.

“Sehůn’s last name is Oh, well, the Sehun I know about at least.” Chanyeøl’s head whipped up upon hearing the demon’s full name and he was about to ask Kyungsoo if he was crazy, but he witnessed something akin to hurt flashing across his face for a moment. Did Kyungsoo have a past with someone similar to Sehůn, a doppelgänger, like the mage Chanyeol? “I’ll make him suffer even more.” Determination flooded the librarian’s face and he stood up, shaking his limbs after sitting in mediation for three hours.

“Tell me, Chanyeøl, did he do something to you? You’re getting queasy all the time we mention him.” Kyungsoo walked over to him and crouched down, his hand cupping his cheek. There wasn’t a scar from the burn that was visible on Kyungsoo during the day. This made Chanyeøl question if they’re two different persons at times. He shooed the birds away and climbed on Chanyeøl’s lap, his thighs framing Chanyeøl’s own and his arms snaked around his neck, when Kyungsoo leaned in, peppering Chanyeol’s exposed skin with little pecks.

Chanyeøl, very much surprised, let out little gasps and sighs of pleasure, “He, he gaslighted me. Manipulated me for years, so I gave myself to him, but I think all of them used me in one way or another…”

Kyungsoo stilled in his lap. “As expected…” His voice was so freezing cold, and he got up, “He’s coming. Come here, love.” Chanyeøl’s eyes went wide on the endearment but he complied and grabbed the back of Kyungsoo’s cardigan when he stood behind him. He jerked a bit when he suddenly had Pepper perched on his shoulder, but Ink was nowhere to be seen.

“Kyungsoo, what did you do to him?” Chanyeøl was curious yet anxious.

“Sleep paralysis, nothing too extravagant, but I used some spells that go beyond that. His sleep paralysis demon is himself; it is forbidden to make someone owns appearance their own monster if that makes sense. He himself reminded him of his flaws. Flaws he chose to forget.”

Sharp wind suddenly rolled through the halls of the library, but nothing fluttered in the wind. An angry yell reached their ears when the wind seemed unable to tear down the shelves that stood tall.

“TAEJUNG!” Chanyeøl flinched when he clearly heard Sehůn cry out another name and the librarian stood unperturbed. “Taejung would be me, then,” he muttered, turning slightly towards Chanyeøl. A sudden gush of wind sent Chanyeøl pink fluffy mess on his head in chaos, yet Kyungsoo’s braid almost didn’t move.

The wind bearer attacked Kyungsoo suddenly out of nowhere, but the librarian deflected the attack with a flick of his wrist. “Don’t underestimate me, demon.”

“I _trusted_ you!” The next wind that would’ve amputated Chanyeøl’s head right off his shoulder was deflected.

“Trust? That’s high coming from _you_. You didn’t like that I reminded you of your lisp or your too small lips? Your face you think is ugly? Aren’t you shallow? Hating me for pointing out your flaws you’re reflecting on yourself?” Kyungsoo grinned. “Weren’t you the one to betray _me_?”

Chanyeøl felt unsure, Kyungsoo clearly knew the wind bearer and vice-versa, their implications held so much weight.

“You can’t betray a traitor. And how are you still alive, he—” Sehůn abruptly appeared before them.

“Funnily enough, Suhø asked me the same. And I didn’t betray anyone, demon.” Kyungsoo gave back, interrupting the demon before him, nonchalant even, looking the other man dead in the eye who was just as towering over him as Chanyeøl was.

That’s when he saw him, “You!” Chanyeøl flinched so hard that Kyungsoo moved along with the motion from where the pink-haired demon pulled him backwards. “I thought you’d be better than this, what a shame. Stepping as low as him, I can’t believe it. As expected of such a miserable disgrace than you are—”

He didn’t finish the sentence before a fist sent him flying in the nearest bookshelf, the air was knocked out of his lungs. “Keep your tongue, scum. Don’t you dare blame Chanyeøl for your own misgivings. Don’t you dare forget who your Sire is and _who_ you are speaking to.” Kyungsoo stepped closer while the little bird on Chanyeøl’s shoulder urged him to step back. Kyungsoo was speaking so low Chanyeøl didn’t understand him, but he made out ‘Sire’ and it made him wonder even more. It was harder to breathe and Sehůn’s storm started to die down.

“What are you doing?” Sehůn clutched his throat, trying to take deep breaths, but the more he inhaled the harder it was.

Kyungsoo crouched down before the wind bearer, “I tell you the same I told Suhø before he met his end. It was a decoy, but you’ve all been _so_ arrogant, _so_ ignorant to blatantly refuse the truth, to identify the trap. You still didn’t learn till now, my dearest Sehůn. And to answer your question; vacuum.” He snapped his fingers and suddenly something plunged from the ceiling with high velocity, screaming at demons in front. Pepper was snarling her long teeth dripping with spit and poison at the demon who was slowly starting to suffocate.

“W–what is tha-t? How?” He was transpiring cold sweat and tried scrambling away, wide-eyed. Something smashed into the ground next to him, caging him between the shelf, Kyungsoo and the wyvern that was approaching slowly, the nostrils of the beast flaring while she was apparently sniffing the frightened demon who clutched his own arms. The diamond-shaped end of the wyvern’s tail smashed a dent into the ground just mere centimetres away from him.

“A wyvern, dearest Sehůn. A highly poisonous beast whose poison can transfigure you for life if you’re happy, a drop can also torture you for life. And you know what’s the catch her devouring you?” Sehůn’s wide eyes shook in fear of his life, Kyungsoo knew one of his biggest fears where reptiles that towered over him. “You’re a wind bearer, a demon. That void you have in you,” he pressed a finger forcefully against the cowering chest, forcing him to inhale even more of the non-existent air that made his breath fell shorter and shorter with each passing second. “The void is what makes her stronger.”

He got back up, dusting invisible dust off his legs before stepping back, his arms crossed behind his head and his smile seemed to be illuminated. “You know what? No-one, and I mean no-one will miss you.”

Chanyeøl gasped behind Kyungsoo and clasped his hands over his mouth before he managed to avert his eyes from Ink messily devouring the demon who couldn’t even scream in the vacuum anymore when the librarian stepped away.

Yet he stood strong, but his legs were shaking. As if on cue, Kyungsoo turned around, his face morphing into sadness and he caught Chanyeøl who was about to drop to the ground, “I’m sorry, Chanyeøl.” His whisper was unnaturally soft and comforting in a sense. Yet Chanyeøl knew he wasn’t only apologising for Sehůn, but something else as well because none of the questions Chanyeøl had so far was answered.

ʘ

Kyungsoo was walking up and down a long corridor, his hands clasped behind his back, while the bell ribbon softly chimed with every step. “Yöl, I know you’re around the corner. Ask away.”

The demon stuck is head out from around the corner, beet red in his face. “Sorry… Erm, I, I made notes…”

A chuckle made him look up and he found Kyungsoo looking up with him with so much adoration, he thought he might feel a heartbeat. “Ask away but come along. I have to rearrange some books from yesterday.”

Chanyeøl hurried behind the librarian until he caught up to him with his long legs. “I’m sorry for asking, and if I step over some boundaries, please let me now. So, first of all; you know them? From I gathered so much, you seem to know them longer than I am alive?” Kyungsoo nodded his head, while he was rearranging some books to place a new one between them, Chanyeøl dutiful holding onto the other ones.

“Uhm, now to the interesting part; I don’t remember anything about Suhø, but Sehůn mentioned or rather asked why you’re still alive.” He adjusted the weight of the books on his arms and he was sure he felt something lick his exposed biceps. He really didn’t want to know.

“Yes, your dear friends tried to kill me once, or more like my doppelgänger? If that makes sense? But saying it out loud sounds weird. Okay, let me ask you. How did you came to be?” Kyungsoo threw a look over his shoulders, motioning Chanyeøl to follow him deeper into the library, a place Chanyeøl wasn’t allowed to step foot in and he didn’t do it until now, despite his curiosity.

“Ah, uh, wait… math. I just realised something, but I feel like you knew that already. If been turned at the age of 24, that means…”

“So, you are indeed part vampire.”

The demon stopped speaking, right, he drank Kyungsoo’s blood. He only had blurry memories of it, but the taste lingered on his tongue and burned him. “I, yes, I’m still sorry.” Kyungsoo waved him off. “I’ve been burned alive after that, by some villagers, but for some reason, I survived. Why does it sound more made-up than it is? But the more I think about it now, the mage is alive since I was turned? Care to enlighten me? I already know the looks on you.”

“I do.” Kyungsoo didn’t continue and busied himself with the higher shelves.

“And? Are you going to tell me that the mage was, I don’t know, born when I turned vampire and became a pyromaniac demon?” Chanyeøl wanted to laugh, was it really that easy?

“You just answered your question. Yes, he is. He’s been born out of your heart that burned to ash, that’s why he’s a fire mage. But in that case, he’s a dissociated entity from you. So, you could technically have sex with him, and it wouldn’t be a moral dilemma since he only looks like you.”

“Why are you saying it like that?” A shiver crawled down his spine.

“In case you wondered why he devoured you like that, even if I didn’t like it one bit. Call me hypocrite, I did the same both in my human and demon for with you, just that I went further than he ever will.” There was a lustful expression on Kyungsoo’s face when he seized down Chanyeøl. He felt hot under his collar.

“But you don’t seem to need a permanent supply of blood since you’re feeding on human energy. I’m more surprised I still have such energy left… Can you put that book over there?” Kyungsoo asked him with those big eyes of his Chanyeøl was unable to decline. But he liked crowding Kyungsoo’s space by leaning over him to put a book away or retrieve it when he was able to press his chest to Kyungsoo’s back whose frame fit him so well.

ʘ

Two days later he realised that Kyungsoo didn’t answer his question.

“Alright!” Kyungsoo kicked open the door to the room Chanyeol slept in, Kyungsoo’s private quarters, and the bell ribbon chimed from the brute force the librarian used to _literally_ kick in his own door. Chanyeøl was sure he heard the hinges protesting with a dangerous metallic screech. Kyungsoo clapped in his hands, “Get up, morning run, you’re going to get indoctrinated as a librarian. And yes, I used _indoctrinated_. The library granted my request to employ you and take away your status as an intruder. And since you can’t leave here alive anyway, you’re going to be stuck with me for all eternity!”

Chanyeøl looked up from his spot on the floor, where he crashed to, at an overly motivated and grinning Kyungsoo, “Who are you and what did you do to Kyungsoo?” Yet, for the moment, being cooped up with Kyungsoo for all eternity, or at least until he died, didn’t sound half bad.

“Seize the day and get up, honey, for I will make you run naked if you don’t comply right now.” Kyungsoo stood there with his hands on his hips, waiting, face devoid of expression different from the words spoken. Chanyeøl realised the grave mistake by not getting up right away and scrambled to his feet, busying himself with getting dressed as fast as possible. He didn’t really want to rile up Kyungsoo first thing at the moment, even if it would be fun to get dressed just to get undressed again and thrust into Kyungsoo…

“Yöl, I hear and see you thinking.” _Shit._ “That means we’re going to train for real, see how you can hold up to me. B and K won’t be easy threats.”

“You di—fuck—didn’t answer m—” Chanyeøl just barely jumped out of the way when the next energy ball was straight up aimed at his groin. “What the fuck are you trying to achieve here?!” Chanyeøl used his momentum of the jump to release an onslaught of fire at the librarian.

“How much more to I have to get you riled up, so you aim better?” Kyungsoo easily avoided being hit, not breaking a sweat. Chanyeøl was already distracted by him just wearing a muscle shirt and sweats and Chanyeøl tended to forget the lean muscle mass he possessed, despite them sometimes fucking like rabbits. But what wouldn’t he give to see him sweaty? Kyungsoo utilised the moment of distraction, and he materialised before Chanyeøl and yanked the taller man down by grabbing his hair rather forcefully, sealing their lips before disappearing again.

“That’s your seventh death. At this rate I don’t know what I’m going to do with you, I can’t teach you everything I know in the short amount of time. You need to perfect the spells you need as a librarian.” Something hit Chanyeøl in the back and he stumbled forwards. He, on the other hand, was sweating like crazy and was only wearing shorts. He was losing balance and again, Kyungsoo appeared in front of him. He caught him easily, his hands sliding along his ribcage and Chanyeøl fell right in the man’s embrace.

“No touchy, I’m sweaty.” The demon weekly protested, but he made no movements of getting out of the embrace. “But I could’ve killed you right now.”

“I don’t think so, you can’t even move a tired muscle anymore, love.” Chanyeøl hummed in response and nuzzled into Kyungsoo’s neck, enjoying the feel of the shifting of the muscles and skin when Kyungsoo spoke. He didn’t realise it when he easily pierced Kyungsoo’s soft skin, neither said man going rigid but not refusing him. His tongue lapped around the bite and the blood was burning on his lips and tongue, straight down his oesophagus. He also didn’t realise his hips continuously and slowly grinding into Kyungsoo’s abdomen and how he sharply inhaled, when Chanyeøl’s hardening dick pressed against his own groin. “Kyungsoo…” Chanyeøl moaned out Kyungsoo’s name against the man’s pulse.

“Not now,” Kyungsoo’s voice was low and raspy; dangerous, and it somewhat shook Chanyeøl out of his reverie and he stared down on Kyungsoo with half-lidded eyes, his eyes and expression drowning Kyungsoo with lust. The librarian’s hand clasped loosely around the demon’s throat, pushing him back lightly. He swiped his tongue across the demon’s lips, cleaning them. “Too much… poison for you, Chanyeøl.”

Black dots appeared in his vision and he was afraid of falling unconscious, Chanyeøl was grunting in a mix of frustration and irritation at that happening. Yet it helped him getting cleared and the fog clouding his perception. “Poison?” He rasped out.

“Aye, my blood is poison to you. To all, but especially to you. Your body isn’t strong enough yet to nourish from my blood. I mean, we can exchange bodily fluids, but everything beyond that… You’ll grow used to it over time.” Kyungsoo’s deep voice was growing more distant and undiscernible with each syllable spoken and Chanyeøl felt his consciousness slipping through his fingers.

ʘ

The nightly demon version of Kyungsoo was sitting in his armchair, staring into the fire, deep in thought. Chanyeøl was still out of it sleeping in his room. Kyungsoo didn’t use the room after all, so it was safe to assume that it was Chanyeøl’s as of now. It would take him a couple of hundred years until he wouldn’t need sleep anymore. He was still a young demon, a baby demon so to say. A small smile found its way onto Kyungsoo’s face, the scar contorting in a way it left ugly wrinkles where the skin somewhat folded itself.

He was still so innocent and uninfluenced, Kyungsoo was jealous in some sorts. But there was no way to take back time. Well, technically, it was but even Kyungsoo had his moral standards when it came to ethics and rewinding time was far from being ethically okay. He’d kill the one time-master that once had lived, but to save each version of any dimension. His smile faltered. The boy had already possessed such evil strength at such a young age… He balled his fist. The boy had taken everything from him once and Kyungsoo did the same to him, stripping him of all his powers and leaving him mortally wounded between the times to suffer for all eternity, suffering brain damage that immobilised him for life and all eternity.

He had crushed everyone until now standing in his way, except Baëkhyun and Kāi. He had no intention of killing Chanyeøl, ever. The boy didn’t do him wrong after all. He just wound up with the wrong people. The time-traveller had assured him of it, but the guy was also biased as hell. Yet, Kyungsoo trusted into the library that was never wrong but didn’t share its knowledge.

And the time-traveller had him also supplied with documents in each humanly unknown language that with each book in his possession the arch angle was losing power. Kyungsoo had seen the first documents and letters, his death, the subjection of the worlds. But which each death, he grew closer to Kyungsoo and into tangible reach for his soul-eating dagger.

He had already an idea of how to confront Kāi, how to go about him and it made a wicked smile grow on his face and somewhere in the library, a winged serpent crawled between the shelves of the dark void. Kāi was predictable, so predictable. He let easily his judgment be clouded like that, Baëkhyun was a different story, but he also had his weak spots, like everyone, like Kyungsoo. And Kyungsoo’s only weakness was lightly snoring away in a blanket burrito.

“Fuck me, I grew sentimental.”

ʘ

Chanyeøl went through rigorous training and much to his misfortune it only went downwards from there in a straight line. Kyungsoo employed the help of the mage.

Chanyeøl was so pissed at all the crude remarks, the sexual innuendos, the disrespect. He was so done with it.

Chanyeol had his arms crossed before his face, his shield barely holding up to the sudden spike in magic when he was pushed back as if he was sliding on ice and he felt blazing heat licking at his skin through the shield. “Holy Seven Heavens!” He exclaimed over the thunderous blazing fire, he didn’t even anticipate fire to grow _that_ loud. It left an unpleasant ringing in his ear.

“Congratulations, mage, you broke him.” Kyungsoo was sitting at his reception desk, not sparing them one glance while flipping through a book he newly acquired. The demon was heaving his shoulders under deep breaths and his eyes were radiating pure rage. “Yöl, you did well.” Kyungsoo finally looked up and smiled.

It immediately transformed the rage into obedience and the demon turned into a literal puppy. “I did? Does that mean I get a reward?”

“Don’t get cocky with me. You already broke Chanyeol’s spirit and making him call onto a divine being that isn’t himself.” Kyungsoo looked back down to the book at his hands. _That spell looks interesting though._

“Fuck!” Chanyeol shouted “Kyungsoo. Is it bad to be wanting to be railed by your demon version over the desk? Because, fuck, that was hot. No pun intended.” Chanyeøl stared frightened at his human counterpart.

“What the fuck? Get out of here. Park Chanyeol, before _I_ rail your ass over a rusty circular saw.” Kyungsoo stood up, but not leaving his reception desk. His eyes were dark yet emotionless. “Touch him like _that_ again and I’m going to make sure you get drowned in the deepest trench I can find.”

“Oh, someone’s jealous over his toyboy,” the mage suggestively wiggled his eyebrows.

“I swear, mage. Regard him like an object or even putting him down like this again and I make sure I choke you on your own fire. He only flipped because you’ve been disrespectful and harassing as fuck. We both had had enough of that.” This seemed to do the trick and the mage’s expression was replaced by sheer fright. Chanyeøl knew it was the worst way possible to die through one’s own element. He’d seen in happening with Sehůn and it had frightened him for life. He also assumed that Kyungsoo did the same to both Chën and Suhø. “And this got nothing to do with jealously, but human decency and respect. And you seem to possess neither one of them. Get out of here.”

Chanyeøl felt the mage getting cold, his body heat slowly diminishing while he was staggering backwards, eyes blown wide while he was staring at the librarian.

“You— you would do that just to save him?” He was oozing with confusion and hurt; incredulousness.

“Don’t think about applying for an audience until you learnt enough about respect for one’s decisions, it’s about time you get off your high horse, Park Chanyeol. The world doesn’t revolve around you and don’t you dare to turn your back on me when you want to be used by those abnormalities that call themselves _demons_.” Kyungsoo’s voice was low and full of venom, he was glaring at the mage and the demon finally caught the vision of a dagger in the librarian’s hand. One he hadn’t seen before. “I’m grateful what you did for me, but it’s about time you stop taking from me because it disrupts the balance of everything natural in me.” He pointed at his chest. “Get out.”

ʘ

* * *

* * *

Emmit Fenn – [BuDuDuDum](https://youtu.be/3yyA7lQBNJo)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comments and thoughts, as short as they may be are very much appreciated~  
> hit me up on [twt](https://mobile.twitter.com/fallacyofwhat) if you want to talk to me, I'm pretty much kinda there.


	6. The Librarian and Light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The dagger pulsated in his hand, giving of an eerie glow in a colour unknown to the human language.  
> Kyungsoo’s steps grew lighter and faster until he was sprinting. The darkness had created a wider space in the library. Sprinting down the halls without a sound, he took a desk to catapult himself into the air, hands raised over his head. The dagger caught the reflecting light emitted by Baëkhyun who barely managed to jump out of the way, the dagger slicing through his face-chain that busted apart, blood trickling down the cut on his cheek. But the demon couldn’t react and Kyungsoo was already in the void again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> //monologue heavy
> 
> //unbetaed

Chanyeøl didn’t know how to approach Kyungsoo for the next couple of days, even the library didn’t speak to him. Kyungsoo, obviously, was hurt. It showed on his face and statue when he thought the demon wasn’t looking, but it also showed in the environment of the library that seemed gloomy and unusually dark. There wasn’t even sunlight filtering through the misty windows.

He jolted when suddenly an ice-cold hand curled around his wrist and pulled him back. He almost let out a shriek, but a hand clasped over his mouth, muffling his scream. “He’s here.” Chanyeøl relaxed when he heard Kyungsoo muttering into his ear, hot air fanning over his ear-shell. But who was here? He tried speaking but couldn’t do to the hand until Kyungsoo pulled it away, realising he tried speaking.

“Who?”

“The light demon, Baëkhyun.” His name sounded distorted and just barely resembled the name Chanyeøl had grown used to over the years. But when Kyungsoo spelt the name, there was a static crackling in the air and Chanyeøl felt the hair in his nape rising from the electricity in the air. Kyungsoo still had his hand loosely clasped above his lips, but Chanyeøl suddenly felt something sliding along his hand, coming down from Kyungsoo’s hand and the sharp edge of the ring stopped pressing into his soft skin. A muffled drop sounded from his feet and a hiss before something slithered away into the sudden darkness.

Kyungsoo’s hand around his waist pulled him closer into his chest and Chanyeøl made himself smaller in his lovers embrace. “Close your eyes, Chanyeøl.” The whisper was somewhat sensual in his ear and he complied. The moment he did, the light that caught in his retina suddenly vanished completely. “Open them again.” When he did, there was nothing, but darkness and a shudder of fear ran down his spine.

“What happened?” He whispered frightened.

“I’m thwarting the scum’s plan to absorb every light here,” Kyungsoo’s voice sounded a lot more menacing in the dark than it usually did.

Chanyeøl made an unsure noise of acknowledgement. “Uh, but…”

“You want to see?” The dark really enhanced Kyungsoo’s speech and every syllable was drowning in care. The demon nodded in the dark against his shoulder.

“You can do that?” He felt like with the light gone, even all sounds vanished.

Hands still cold, they clasped over his eyes and for a short moment, he was blinded before he blinked and saw his surroundings in a weirdly orange-red glow. He didn’t see as far as with the light, but it was enough to see at least two shelves wide. He turned around, his hands naturally finding their way to Kyungsoo’s face who covered Chanyeøl’s hand with his and pulled it away, left a chaste kiss on his palm with his plump lips before he mumbled against them. The motion was weirdly intimate in this complete darkness. “A good luck charm, so to say. Get onto the balustrade, keep out of sight of the light orb.” With these words, Kyungsoo vanished in smoke and into the darkness.

The demon felt the library whispering to him, urging him to be fast and leading the way to the safest ladder.

Light orbs were shot throughout the vicinity of the library.

ʘ

Kyungsoo was keeping in the shadows. Baëkhyun didn’t make a secret out of his visit and it frustrated him that it seemed so easy to some to break into his sanctuary. Yes, Chanyeøl was to blame, since he kidnapped him from here, but the young demon couldn’t know better what kind of monster he actually was. And a monster he was.

Baëkhyun’s strategically placed light orbs did nothing to detect the approaching librarian, hidden in the void. But instead of just putting them out, he absorbed the light. He knew that Baëkhyun once absorbed the light of a dying star in a different dimension when he killed his doppelgänger. Trying his hardest to become stronger than any of them, of what they once were. Kāi was made of the same calibre. But even then, Kyungsoo never tapped into more than the ten per cent of power he used. Sure, Kyungsoo wasn’t sure _how_ much they grew, yet with each doppelgänger killed their power grew and the time-traveller had him informed that even in his world he was left with not even a handful of friends because of those bastards. A life on earth where they were nothing but celebrities, idols, innocent young men just wanting to live.

The dagger pulsated in his hand, giving off an eerie glow in a colour unknown to the human language.

Kyungsoo’s steps grew lighter and faster until he was sprinting. The darkness had created a wider space in the library. Sprinting down the halls without a sound, he took a desk to catapult himself into the air, hands raised over his head. The dagger caught the reflecting light emitted by Baëkhyun who barely managed to jump out of the way, the dagger slicing through his face-chain that busted apart, blood trickling down the cut on his cheek. But the demon couldn’t react and Kyungsoo was already in the void again.

_“So, you’re too shy to face me head-on? Or is it fear? Wise choice by taking away the light, librarian. I was confused when I saw you the first time in Chanyeøl’s kitchen.”_ The demon held his bleeding cheek, his irises blown wide with madness. _“Why don’t you come back and let us take care of you? You’re just as miserable as before. I can’t believe that you’re older than us with the miserable excuse of power you have, even if the dagger is new.”_

Kyungsoo stood on the balustrade, twirling his braided hair into a bun. Chanyeøl was hidden behind him in the wall. The library had cloaked him, and Kyungsoo heard their whispery translations to Chanyeøl who didn’t make a sound, barely breathing. He wished the library wouldn’t do that, but the demon was in the process of being assimilated as librarian himself, Kyungsoo just hoped that the library would really acknowledge two librarians.

Jumping on the railing of the balustrade, he walked along it, before he vaulted over the nearest shelf, jogging over it, taking the next leap across the hall. Baëkhyun was underestimating him; he hadn’t learned anything.

_“Do you really think I’m that weak when I killed Chën, Suhø and Sehůn_ so _easily?”_ Kyungsoo’s voice was lost in the void, not giving away his position in the slightest.

_“Killing? You? Since when?”_ Baëkhyun let out an airy laugh of disbelief.

_“You don’t believe me, scum? I hurt you.”_

_“That was pure luck, should’ve expected that from a sly traitor like you. Are you sure you didn’t just banish them?”_

Kyungsoo watched Baëkhyun turning around his own axis, trying to find Kyungsoo. Crouching down at the corner of the shelf, he listened into his surroundings, before he materialised a marble into his hand and flinging it across the library. The demon’s head snapped around and he flung a ball of pure energy into the direction. But there wasn’t anything.

_“Look up.”_ Kyungsoo was starting to ridicule the demon who never learned the human language like the other’s did, he was too much of royalty to get down with the peasants. The demon squinted into the dark, sending a light orb up, but he didn’t see the librarian. _“You can look as much as you want, Baëkhyun, but you’re in a different plane of the library.”_

Kyungsoo called softly Chanyeøl’s name who materialised next to him, keeping his balance by grabbing onto the librarian who kept steady. “Remember what I told you?” He whispered and the demon nodded resolutely. Kyungsoo jumped down, appearing out of thin air, and landed lightly on his feet. Baëkhyun fired another orb at him, but Kyungsoo easily caught it, the light tonguing at his skin before it was absorbed into his palm.

The demon stepped back, eyes wide, _“What?”_

Suddenly scorching hot fireballs that emitted an eerie blue shot out of every corner at Baëkhyun who barely managed to avoid them, yet some hit his clothes and he was frantically trying to stop the sizzling and smouldering of his clothes. Occupied and distracted, a series of fireballs smashed into his chest and the demon screeched unearthly from the pain.

_“You must’ve had your head so far up your ass, Baëkhyun. Not realising I’m living in symbiosis._ We _are living in symbiosis.”_ The librarian’s eye turned emerald green and his hair grew, yet it stuck in a bun, the Chelsea grin still looking like a fresh wound.

The demon with the white hair stumbled backwards, hand pressed against the burning chest, unstable on his legs; suddenly his back getting caught at a shelf that wasn’t there before, _“What are you?”_

_“Stronger than you.”_ Kyungsoo tilted his head, his emotionless eyes staring at Baëkhyun, seemingly pulling him in.

He jolted when suddenly Chanyeøl gracefully landed in a crouch next to the librarian. He slowly stood up, rising to his full height, and towering over both of them. There was so much hate in his eyes and not an ounce of remorse in his clear blue eye. “Hey.” He snapped his fingers and suddenly Baëkhyun stood ablaze, everything catching fire, but still not burning the clothes and hair of his skin. The demon torch cried out in pain; never had he felt such hateful heat. He fell to his knees, frantically trying to put out the fire that was engulfing him.

The demon realised that he was losing his light, his life essence. He was growing weaker and sudden movement from the right caught his attention. He fired a light orb at it, there was a lindworm sliding towards him, eyes white from the blindness.

_“What are you planning? Why did you go against us, we love you.”_ He barely was able to utter the question.

_“Taking the Sire status and killing you, what do you think I plan? I made you, I end you. I’m just surprised you’re not asking me about who or rather what, you killed all those years ago. Love, what a sick concept of love you have.”_

_“After seeing you again, I thought you sacrificed your doppelgäng—”_

_“All my versions are still alive and breathing if they didn’t die of old age already.”_ Kyungsoo crouched down before the now covering demon whose light was slowly being diminished, the light in his eyes turning dull. The reflection of the fire engulfing Baëkhyun danced on Kyungsoo’s face. _“You miscalculated the magic—so did the arch angle you whored yourself too—Baëkhyun, and now it’s time to give back the light energy taken.”_

Chanyeøl stood strong, facing the inevitable end his former demon ‘friend’ received by being devoured alive. He had heard everything, the library all so graciously translating for him. He was able to finally piece together sprinkles of information he had collected and heard over the years.

Kyungsoo, his Kyungsoo was _the_ Unspoken.

The light filtered back into the library and one could hear birds again.

The lindworm was transforming back into a bright yellow Cardinal, chirping from the ground until Kyungsoo still in his demon form picked the little bird up, “Chanyeøl, love, come here. We need to secure the books.”

ʘ

Kyungsoo had dumped a stash of books at Chanyeøl’s table. He didn’t indulge him in talking about his past, but rather let him do his research.

Kyungsoo had sired not only Chanyeøl, even if Chanyeøl did it involuntarily by drinking the man’s blood, but he had sired Baëkhyun, Chën, Suhø and Sehůn. He was confused, sure, Kyungsoo was way older than them, but that was his demon form? He must’ve been a demon before and the symbiosis thing? Did he actually merge his human and demon?

_Yes, those had been two personifications before, two individuals living without the other._

“But how did they merge?” Chanyeol asked the library while flipping through a book that clearly framed Baëkhyun as a destroyer of worlds by taking their sun or other light sources. Kyungsoo had given him a newspaper he said he received from the time-traveller that those worlds ‘received’ their suns back. Was Kyungsoo actually restoring the dimensions? Was he really that strong?

_They made a pact, a contract of sorts. You never killed your doppelgängers?_

Chanyeøl shook his head, “No, never, didn’t even anticipate I meet one.” He leaned back in his chair. He had killed other creatures and humans, he wouldn’t deny that, but he was more of a potions master, to begin with. And he didn’t like killing and ravelled in it as much as the others, most of them dead by now. “Wait, contract?”

_Yes, he was already a librarian by then, having mastered every form of magic in the shortest possible amount of time. A natural._

“But how?”

“Because he was being tortured by the others, never revealing his powers to the extent he can. They made him the scapegoat, used him in every way imaginable. Thinking he was some sort of loser who sired them because he wanted to get stronger or making them at least his servants. He never fought back and endured every humiliation silently. They didn’t know his headcount was higher than theirs before they started to use their power unreasonable more and more.” Kyungsoo, suddenly appearing behind him, squeezed his shoulder and drop his lips at the fluffy pink cloud that Chanyeøl’s hair was after a shower, where he was sure he railed Kyungsoo pretty well, his own lower body was somewhat aching in deliciousness and sore muscles. And Kyungsoo? Was walking around like he wasn’t pounded into a couple of rounds.

“Stop thinking of sexual intercourse and do your research. We don’t go easy on you just because you’re my lover, Chanyeøl.”

ʘ

“Kyungsoo?” Chanyeøl had managed to wrestle Kyungsoo into bed, where he was now resting against the wall, Kyungsoo snuggled into his chest.

“Hmm?” Kyungsoo was skimming through a book whose letters Chanyeøl couldn’t read.

“Tell me ‘bout your demon version?” Chanyeøl was carding his fingers through Kyungsoo short hair, enjoying the ticklish feeling of it against the pads of his fingers. He might be a little in love already.

Kyungsoo leaned further into the touch, humming in content. “Why not asking him yourself?”

“For some reason, I still feel shy around him?”

“Bullshit, you slept with him in less than a week, you needed longer to approach me though.” The smaller snorted, no bite to his words.

Chanyeøl’s finger trailed his finger along with his ear shell before carefully tracing the burn scar on Kyungsoo’s neck. “How come you have the scar, but the other Kyungsoo doesn’t?” He had learned that both librarians had a lot of scars, yet not all of them in the same place, differing in size and form.

“We share a mind, not the body. We’re like two sides of a coin. You attacked me while I was in my human form. If I’m not consciously merging with him, we are two entities. Yet you’re sired to both of us since you had our blood in both forms.” Kyungsoo craned his head in the embrace and pressed his plush lips against Chanyeøl’s jaw, not able to reach further.

ʘ

Once Chanyeøl opened his eyes, he was met with emerald green eyes, soft hair falling on his exposed arms.

“Hey.” The voice was soft, yet husky and Chanyeøl blushed bright red from the tips of his ears to his cheeks.

“U-uh, hi.”

“You have questions for me? I mean, I could’ve easily answered them, and by I, I mean both him and me.” The demon grabbed his hand and lifted it to his lips, leaving a chaste kiss against the knuckles, his lips stretching into a soft smile. “First of all, I had a different name before meeting Kyungsoo, but you know that by now. Yet, I also listen if you call me Kyungsoo. But I liked his name better. I mean, usually, Doppelgänger don’t share the same name, but if a demon devouring a Doppelgänger with the same name, at least to some extent, the power they get from it is greater. But back to the basics, I was named Taejung by my parents and I’m the one that is actually 365 years old, but for some reason both our ages align.” He chuckled, “I’m really an old geezer. But when did we meet? Ah, I think…I think it must’ve been around…240 years, plus-minus? Well, not met, but merged? Okay, wait, now I got it. I was born when he arrived here, that’s it. He arrived here on our birthday.”

“Doesn’t that mean he’s older?” Chanyeøl calculated and he found himself being manhandled by Kyungsoo, or rather Taejung. “Wait, the mage was born when I was turned.”

“Ah, yes, that’s the thing. There’s a set number of Doppelgänger when one version dies, another is born somewhere else. But when another version kills one, the scale tilts towards an imbalance, and that can be the truly disastrous occurrence.” Taejung hummed out thoughtfully. “It’s also a totally different story for Kyungsoo and me, we basically scotched our scale since we merged.”

“How did you to merge?” Chanyeøl pulled Taejung closer to his chest and placed his chin in the demon’s junction of his neck.

“That’s actually quite hilarious. I needed to get away from the nutjobs I once sired. I mean, I was their maker, but they turned against me. As you heard, they thought I’m weaker than them. The thing is, I never fought back, despite them torturing me and, unfortunately, raping me. I guess they made you go down the same bloody path I had to go down before you.”

Chanyeøl went rigid and his hold tightened around the smaller man. A normal human might have broken bones or even be dead, but it almost had no impact on Taejung. He didn’t want to be reminded, but he might’ve to deal with it later or sooner and Taejung and Kyungsoo knew more about him than he liked to acknowledge to himself.

“I’m sorry, Chanyeøl, that you had to go through it if I had acted a hundred years before…but I was still healing from the mental wound I’d received and Kyungsoo was still in the process of healing me.” It was true and for some reason, Taejung felt guilty since he thought it was his mistake that Chanyeøl suffered so much. “To be honest, Kyungsoo was always stronger than I could ever be, not just physically, but mentally as well. But let’s get back to your question.”

“Yeah, let’s.” Chanyeøl lightened his hold on Taejung who took it as an invitation and stood up but only to motion Chanyeøl to lie down and turned on his side to face him, letting Chanyeøl rest his head on his forearm and his unoccupied hand resting on the pink-haired demon’s waist, rubbing slow circles into his skin with his thumb.

“As mentioned, I was running away from them, just for the moment, trying to find a sanctuary and when I stepped through a door that would’ve let me to a friend of mine, I suddenly landed here. Right at the front door. Kyungsoo was staring with his wide owl-eyes at me, his glasses sitting at the tip of his nose. I remember like it was yesterday. He sat at the reception desk and had his feet on the table and a book in his hand. In the same position, he sits there nowadays, and he just stared at me, not even remotely surprised, like he did anticipate my visit and was just surprised it took me so long to get to him. Of course, I was shaking and wanted to turn around, leave this place I didn’t know, and he just called out to me. _I don’t think you should do that; you can’t leave from here. Except you seek death, then I can help you, but otherwise, I can help you too, I can make you forget and heal._ When I looked back to him, he wasn’t even looking at me anymore and just stared down at his book, but I saw his lips twitching as if he had to swallow down a smile. I mean, we’re kinda the same and I knew that look. It’s been pointed out to me before as well, that I was looking like this when I tried my hardest not to show remotely positive emotions.”

Chanyeøl’s throat escaped rumbling laughter, “Sounds like him. Aloof yet caring.”

Taejung smiled at that observation; it was true, that was very much Kyungsoo. “That’s true. That’s very much like him. But back to my story—I don’t even remember the last time I had such a monologue… Some unknown force compelled me to go to him, now I know it was the library itself, and I peered over his shoulder, draping myself over his shoulders if it was the most normal thing in the world and I crossed my arms over his chest. At first, I was unable to read the letters but suddenly they blurred and jumbled, and I was able to read the letters that had been before illegible to me. He asked me if I was able to read the words and I had to acknowledge it and he just laughed, his whole body shook from laughter, but I couldn’t bring myself to pull away. I must confess, it was the most beautiful sound I ever heard, I think I never laughed in the carefree and delighted way he did. It made me smile in earnest…” Taejung went silent and for a moment there, it looked like he was going to cry, his eyes having a wet shine and there was a small amount of wetness collecting at the edges of his eyes. “I cried after that, I truly did, like I never did in my life before. I don’t know; it was like suddenly a burden was lifted off my chest that was threatening to suffocate me and he comforted me, without a second thought. Suddenly I didn’t mind that he said I can’t leave this place anymore.”

Chanyeøl felt himself tearing up with an embarrassed chuckle wiped his eyes with his hands that were resting between him and Taejung. “I’m sorry,” he let out another sniff, a sheepish smile on his lips when he pulled his hands away from his face. “But I think I get the sense of revelation that this place is home. That he feels like home, I felt it the moment he introduced himself to me, all business-like at the front desk.”

“Yes, yes. It also felt like family, when the library decided to speak to me for the first time. A feeling of familiarity and gentleness was washing over me, not like your first sentence that was _Intruder!_ We lived a long time next to each other. He was watching over me when night terrors plagued me, or when I had nervous breakdowns all of a sudden. He never once left my side and was always there for me, but the more we lived together and shared, the more I felt hate and disappointment coming from him. You could see it in his eyes and how he mauled people in the library that broke in. What he did to the other demons, that was harmless, but what he did back then… It even startled and frightened me to the core, and I’m already a pretty blood-lusty demon if I say so myself. I knew the others were looking for me, to punish me for running away. They thought of me as a possession. They thought they had the right to decide over my life like I was just a pawn. The library had granted me permission to leave the library and come back whenever I wanted. It felt like it was telling me to say goodbye to my life outside the cosmos of the library. I was allowed to leave the few friends I had a note where I was, how they would find me, but what they had to do for it…”

“What happened?” Chanyeøl carded his fingers through Taejung’s hair, cupping his jaw and memorising all the little features that set him off from Kyungsoo. The closer he looked, the more difference there was, but the more similar they became. Not just looks, but personalities and habits as well.

“Baëkhyun and Kāi ambushed me. I wasn’t able to even react and defend me, mentally still weak and recovering. They tortured me and…and…raped me… to put it bluntly. They also did this,” he gingerly touched the scars following the corners of his mouth. “They said because I don’t smile enough and that I should be grateful they love me. What a warped perception of love, don’t you agree? I don’t know how Kyungsoo found me, but he was suddenly there, in the dungeon. I could barely recognise him, too far gone. He told me afterwards… But I remember one thing, I never felt such strong and dangerous magic. I wield black magic myself even if my power is bound to Gaia, but this was something else. I mentioned that I was stronger than the others, but my power was sealed away, an unused potential that was bound to crumble, but this? Another demon or magical creature would’ve used most over their life energy and days if not weeks to kill them, yet he did it in hours, even less. That what you saw, it still wasn’t his full potential. I don’t know what he is, but by all means, he can’t be a mortal; he never was.” Taejung suddenly leaned in, mid-ramble, pressing his lips in an open-mouthed kiss to Chanyeøl’s lips and greedily licked his tongue across the seam of Chanyeøl’s lips who readily leaned in, letting him take the upper hand for the moment, before Taejung suddenly pulled back, a mischievous smile on his lips. “I’m sorry, but I can’t seem to resist you, even in serious and sombre situations like right now. It’s also a form of self-defence and distraction.”

“It’s alright, to both you and Kyungsoo, I always readily accept you two, you two already have me wrapped around your pinkie.” Chanyeøl smiled lovingly at the demon before him, his cheek cutely squished on his shoulder he was lying on. He ran his thumb over the apple of his cheek before leaning in for a peek and another that turned longer. He pulled back, softly urging Taejung to continue, from his own experience he could tell that Taejung was not only open to him after barely exchanging three sentences with him before he learned about Kyungsoo and Taejung being the same.

“He kneeled before me and I felt so ashamed that he was seeing me like that, used, thrown to the side. I tried to hide before him, but he didn’t let him and he cradled my face in his hands, I’m surprised I still remember that, despite missing so many other details. He asked me, no he rather demanded _Let’s became one, let us become a unit._ and he left no room for objection. I, he, he kissed me and after that everything is a blur and a flash of emotions and colours I couldn’t figure out till today. I just remember suddenly drowning and suffocating in so much love and energy, I must’ve blacked out. The library told me what happened; it felt a spike in immense energy, a world-destroyer was a joke next to it and it was a miracle that the dimension didn’t crumble. Everyone lost their powers like it was being absorbed and he, he must have ripped a hole in the time-space continuum. I can’t even start to imagine how that was possible, but no-one was killed and the next thing I know, I was him and he was me.”

“Wow, that’s…That’s something. I mean, I know he’s strong but that’s just…wow. I can’t even start to comprehend what was going on. Wait, is that the origin of the Great Wandering?” Chanyeøl was speechless. Was it possible that Kyungsoo was _that_ powerful? If it was true what Taejung told him, then not only the demon in his arms was bound to Gaia but Kyungsoo as well. Sure, the myriad of plants throughout the library Chanyeøl always missed for a reason, like they had their own life, just now remembering the greenery that usually was somewhere in a room for itself, a whole greenhouse so to say. He just now realised the plants were there as if they didn’t show them to Chanyeøl. He was a pyromaniac, it was making sense that they were hiding from him, but how did he only now acknowledge it. It made his head hurt.

“Chanyeøl, are you okay?” Taejung sounded worried and he was suddenly leaning over Chanyeøl, deep frowns of confusion distort his usual soft features.

Chanyeøl shook his head to clear the confusion. “The greenery in the library?”

The other demon’s emerald green eyes were suddenly shining with a twinkle and the confusion ebbed away, making way for a loving expression. “You only now learned about it? You’re making progress, love, you’re starting to be more perceptive of the library. Yes, I mentioned Gaia, I’m born of Gaia, I was born a demon, but Kyungsoo became Gaia? In some way? Well, not by being Gaia, but by becoming Gaia? It’s difficult to explain, I know that, but he’s able of everything nature does, kind of a whole elements package? And those elements are tightly bound to his emotions… The stronger the emotion, the stronger his potential and the more dangerous this magical potential is.” Taejung cutely scratched his head in embarrassment and Chanyeøl couldn’t withstand the temptation and lean up, capturing his lips in a sweet kiss. It took the other demon by surprise and Chanyeøl felt love bubbling up in his chest, the confusion and the blush on the other’s face strengthening his resolve. He was already at the stage where he would give his life for both Kyungsoo and Taejung, and he knew the others would do the same. He wasn’t even sure where this resolution was coming from and if he should voice his feelings, but he knew for some reason that those were reciprocated and had developed from the start. Not love at the first sight, like humans tended to say, but the natural course of events. He would love to divulge more in Taejung and his body, but he needed to know more, his hunger for knowledge still not satisfied. He might really be born to be a librarian.

With Taejung now resting on his chest and Chanyeøl’s arms wrapped around his upper body, he left a kiss on the tip of his nose, pulling back. “Kyungsoo said something about decoy?”

“Oh, yes, that. What a mess, I swear.” Taejung suddenly huffed in annoyance, rolling his eyes in irritation. “The others had tracked us down, us not being sole entities anymore, but they didn’t know. You know that both Kyungsoo and I know a trash load of spells, runes, summoning. Well, Kyungsoo loves the dark and forbidden side, even if he looks all prim and proper, he’s worse than me. But appearances can be deceiving after all. He baited and trapped them. He had an exact carbon copy of me, in the battered state he had found me. They thought they had it easy with me, or rather him. That’s where they got their scars from, the never healing reminders of their mistakes, but they thought they killed me. They celebrated the ending of such an individual that sired them. I had sired them one after another to save them, from death mainly, and that’s how they repaid me… I had called them friends and family before; they are either not aware I was a demon or probably using the knowledge I was one. I might have loved them once before they turned on me and I’m speaking of romantic love here.”

“You loved them?” There was jealousy bubbling up in Chanyeøl’s chest and his face was showing it. Taejung snorted.

“I wish I didn’t. I mean, we spent some nice years before they turned against me. As I said, or Kyungsoo, I can’t remember at this point who said what, they didn’t know how strong I was—am. I didn’t forge my knowledge and power before them for no reason. The wyvern? I created the world-destroyer but never released her, she was a raven before, but Kyungsoo was the one to forge her into an earring to keep her hidden. They just thought I had a pet raven. Soo forged Pepper, giving a new life to a dying rare lindworm he found in another dimension.”

“He left the library? I thought he can’t do it?” Chanyeøl was eager to know all about the two at this point.

“When we were still two persons, we alternated shifts. There were some things, just he was capable of, that’s why I managed the front desk at those times. It also created problems with the ministry you already met. Maybe because I once killed some of their men before I met Kyungsoo because they were hunting me down? Even then those twats thought they were, in reality, looking for them, because how could they have a manhunt for some low demon?” Taejung snorted while rolling his eyes. “Anyway… I didn’t know what to do and the library warned me to stay put. It knew Kyungsoo would appear any moment and he did. He materialised in a pool of black fogging smoke and a lindworm at his feet. He made such a mess in the library, even with magic it took us two weeks to get the blood out of the carpets. The smell of the dying lindworm was unbearable and with his bloody hand—I think he is obsessed with sticking his hands in blood, I swear—with his bloody hand he grabbed one of the men by his throat and I smelt flesh rotting. I lost count how many times he saved me at this point.”

Chanyeøl was aligning his hand with Taejung’s, marvelling at the difference in size and how soft the demon’s hands were. Kyungsoo’s were a lot rougher and littered with scars. “You sound really fond of him,” he remarked deep in thought while intertwining his fingers with Taejung’s.

“I love him. I mean, not in the sense of love, but platonically in such a strong sense, I can’t fathom it or even adequately voice it. Even saying that I love him feels not sufficient enough of a feeling…Not in the sense you love us though.”

Chanyeøl chocked on his own spit and coughed violently, while holding his chest, pushing Taejung away while trying to regain his senses, “What the fuck?”

ʘ

* * *

Fleet Foxes – [White Winter Hymnal](https://youtu.be/DrQRS40OKNE)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comments and thoughts, as short as they may be are very much appreciated~  
> hit me up on [twt](https://mobile.twitter.com/fallacyofwhat) if you want to talk to me, find me, i also upload my fanarts there.


	7. The Librarian and Vanishing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A few days later, Chanyeøl stumbled back in shock and he thought the lights were playing an illusion on him. The two armchairs in front of the fireplace, that was only visibly in the night, were both occupied. Both occupied by Kyungsoo and Taejung.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> last chapter. leggo!  
> warning: degrading namecalling, mentions of dub/non-con, manipulative disorders, torture

“Do you love him too?” Chanyeøl asked one day out of the blue. Kyungsoo stopped what he was doing and turned towards the demon, looking down from his ladder.

“I do,” he answered without hesitation, a soft smile playing around his lips. “We know how much we need each other and how much we need you now. Even if you should fall out of love with us, we couldn’t let you go, the library restrictions left aside. We love unconditionally and we can’t choose who we want to love. Do you see the vintage rose book? The small one next to the one that’s magically sealed?” He pointed over to the shelf and Chanyeøl nodded while looking there. He couldn’t read the letters, but Kyungsoo had explained to him that it was because he wasn’t the librarian, but rather a minion with similar rights. “That book has your name imprinted on it. This is our story with you, it will grow with time and has to some extent to future written down, but we can still influence the outcome of those next memories. We, Taejung and I, pledged to never look into those volumes of love because we don’t want it to influence our perception of who we love. And I indirectly told you that I love you, I can’t believe it.”

Chanyeøl was unbelievably happy to have his feelings reciprocated and it was showing on his face, he was unable to swallow down the wide grin.

“Stop that, that’s creepy,” Kyungsoo snarled at him, his face distorted in disgust upon seeing his smile.

Chanyeøl promised to stop smiling like this, but he couldn’t and Kyungsoo didn’t comment on it further. Not with the fulfilling sex he received that night and the way that it left him slightly exhausted for once. The demon’s stamina was a mystery.

ʘ

A few days later, Chanyeøl stumbled back in shock and he thought the lights were playing an illusion on him. The two armchairs in front of the fireplace, that was only visibly in the night, were both occupied. Both occupied by Kyungsoo and Taejung. Kyungsoo was just wearing his oversized blues, leaving his thighs naked, the shorts he was wearing vanishing underneath the light blue cloth. In the other said Taejung in a black shirt that was a tight fit and black cantaloupe pants, feet bare.

“Is the world ending or why am I seeing you both at the same time? Am I drunk?” Chanyeøl asked visibly distressed and yelped when Taejung pulled him onto his lap sideways. Holding his chest, he touched Taejung’s face first before leaning over to Kyungsoo who he couldn’t reach but who held out his hand for Chanyeøl to grab on. Taejung’s arm sneaked around his waist and pulled him closer.

“Don’t get perverted ideas, I know how your mind functions. No, this is for once easier than talking to ourselves. When was the last time we did that?” Kyungsoo lifted his cup of coffee to his lips before pulling it away from them after taking a sip. He raised an accusing eyebrow at Chanyeøl who was still only in his pyjama pants with nothing covering his chest and his pink bed hair sticking into every direction.

“I don’t know? A hundred years ago, when the war broke out? I live so long already; I totally lost my sense of the concept of time at this point. I know when I was born and how old I am, but the rest is a mystery to me.”

“That’s my dear Taejung, is why I own diaries because I’m living even longer than you are.” He leaned over to the CD-Player on the coffee table and put a CD in and after a short moment, music started to play. Chanyeøl was still so enamoured with human technology he didn’t understand. They didn’t have electricity the same way humans had utilised it. Kyungsoo said that their dimension is similar to what the humans call the middle ages and periods after that without electricity. Unbeknownst to Chanyeøl, Taejung, Kyungsoo and the library made a deal for Kyungsoo being allowed to leave the library for some time to show the demon the human world someday. Also, because Taejung and he would be more frequently detached from one another given the current circumstances in their world and the cataloguing and shelving was something that had to be done without magic and it was meticulous work. Two or even three pairs of hands were faster than one. Even if Chanyeøl should be managing the front desk, but that could wait until they would tell him that. There were more pressing matters at hand first.

“So, what’s the occasion that I see my favourite creatures at the same time?” Chanyeøl was still confused by seeing them both. Now he realised how many differences were between them, mainly physically. And just their posture was so different from one another. And he saw what Taejung meant by Kyungsoo being all prim and proper. It was annoyingly endearing. Even Taejung who sat there like a sack of potatoes. An endearing and lovable stoic sack of potatoes.

“The last one left from the fuckers,” Kyungsoo announced.

“And the most problematic one,” Taejung added. “Teleportation is the most problematic one and he’s the most unpredictable.”

“Yes, thanks to his mental instability. Baëkhyun was already a whiplash, but him? Worse. He truly believed and still does so, that what he and Baëkhyun did was out of love, and that’s what Taejung wished for, to be used and tortured like that.” Kyungsoo continued, a sombre expression on his face. “Sick bastard.”

“And my question why _both_ of you are sitting here?” Chanyeøl asked again.

“We need to discuss battle plans, and it’s easier that way, so our thoughts don’t mix and intermingle when we talk to ourselves in our heads,” Taejung mumbled into Chanyeøl’s biceps, who still sat sideways on his lap, where Taejung leaned his head against the exposed skin.

Chanyeøl made a noise in his throat of understanding but still clouded by confusion.

“He wasn’t born in your dimension, he’s kinda what humans call an ‘alien’, he’s from outer space from somewhere no-one really was, well, except other’s that are able to teleport. Him, for example. Teleport between dimensions and that’s what’s so dangerous. He can grab you and leave you in space where you die and he teleports back, he can also teleport individuals without teleporting himself.” Kyungsoo stared into the fireplace that was still burning brightly, the firewood cracking languidly.

“You already have an idea, don’t you, Kyungsoo? I know the look and I don’t know if I like that.” Taejung remarked and Chanyeøl saw what he meant. Kyungsoo’s face was distorted in something akin to madness and wrath.

“He has to pay for what he did to you, and to Chanyeøl.” Kyungsoo’s face was dark and Chanyeøl shivered in Taejung’s hold, coldness crawling up his spine, cold he wasn’t used to, that was new to him.

“Can I ask you two something off-topic?” The pink-haired demon intercepted. The two men nodded and Kyungsoo relaxed his posture after Taejung threw him a dirty look. “Do you two share the dagger? Because Kyungsoo still has his earring, but Taejung doesn’t but still has a dagger.”

“Ah, that, yes. The dagger is quite complicated. It’s embedded in my breastbone and for Kyungsoo it has the form of the earring.” Taejung answered. “ _But_ there’s a stark difference between us two, even if it is the same dagger technically. With each kill, it takes energy away from me, when I yield it. When Kyungsoo does, he takes the energy from the ones he kills. This means I would lose life essence every time I yield it, but I got it back… now that you’re here, Chanyeøl.”

“What? _Me?_ How do _I_ play into that?” Chanyeøl was confused.

Kyungsoo smirked when he looked at the demon, a suggestive glint in his face. “When we fuck, you nourish yourself with my energy. Taejung takes this excess energy away from you when you fuck him. Easy like that. That means your energy household stays balanced and we nourish ourselves on you.”

Chanyeøl went bright red and the thought, unfortunately, aroused him, he wasn’t even able to hide it with the thin fabric of his pyjama pants and with Taejung’s forearm resting against his abdomen.

“He likes the thought, Kyungsoo,” Taejung added unhelpfully and to Chanyeøl’s misery.

“I know, but we need to keep our focus on more pressing matters, even if I would like to ignore it.” Kyungsoo shook his head. “Are we even doing anything else these days beside talking for hours and just not enjoying silence?”

“After this disaster is fended off, my dear Kyungsoo,” Taejung mumbled, his eyes trained on Chanyeøl who fidgeted in his lap when the man under him pressed experimentally down on his groin with his forearm.

“Leave the poor boy alone, Taejung, you’re insatiable.” Kyungsoo didn’t look like he minded Taejung edging Chanyeøl.

“Traitor, I confided in you, Kyungsoo,” Chanyeøl wound himself out of Taejung’s grasp who held him back easily.

“Okay, okay, Chanyeøl, I’m not really sorry but I stop now.” Taejung laughed out while losing his grip on the winding demon.

“I hope you do; you both are so mean!”

“Guys, we should get back to the problem at hand,” Kyungsoo shook his head, a beautiful eye smile and the heart-shaped toothy smile on his face while watching the two bickering males.

They calmed down easily, diverting their attention back to Kyungsoo, their expressions falling into a solemn mood. Kyungsoo’s plan was violent and nothing short of disturbing; one wouldn’t do voluntarily to their enemy, but given Kāi’s situation and power… It brought the mood down further, but Kyungsoo was obviously out for revenge and he didn’t mind any form of holding back from his goal. He was set to go through with it and surprisingly, Taejung easily agreed with just a short moment of pondering. Chanyeøl felt queasy with the thought of what was going to be done, but he didn’t object further. He might not be really of help, but he would’ve to stay close to either of the two so Kāi wouldn’t be able to get his hands on him and, worst case, kidnap Chanyeøl and torture him the same way he did with Taejung. Either out of ignorance or a substitute of revenge, taking something from both Kyungsoo and Taejung they dearly loved with all their heart.

ʘ

It was possible that Kāi would appear unannounced or without any form of summoning. And that he did.

Kyungsoo had concealed Chanyeøl and merged back with Taejung so that he was evenly powered. He had almost stopped speaking, ever so often spacing out, lost in the void to get a sign the demon was approaching. His clothes had also changed to black straight jeans and a black shirt, his pastel-ish wide clothes nowhere found. The white of his scars stood in stark contrast to his tanned skin and the black clothing.

He would let Kāi attack first, giving him the illusion of having the upper hand, but Kāi would be unable to teleport him out of the library. Chanyeøl, at this point, was sure that the library had let him do it without interfering because it knew what was bound to happen.

The attack happened so unexpectedly, yet it didn’t. Chanyeøl had barely recognised that Kyungsoo was suddenly steeling himself for impact and the next second he found himself grabbed by the throat and pressed into a wall. The impact had left a dent in the wall and books and papers were fluttering and thumping to the ground.

Kyungsoo gasped and he never did, blood already coating the skin beneath his neck and the hand forcing their nails into the skin.

“You look so much like him,” Kāi’s voice was so condescendingly reproachful, when he jammed his knee between Kyungsoo’s thighs, his other hand resting on the wall above the librarian’s head. “Why do you look like him, what did you do to my Taejung?”

He started to sound hysterical and Chanyeøl, hidden away in his safe spot, started to grasp what the two meant by obsession. He had never realised that Kāi was this way, at least not towards him, but he had shown a similar obsession with Baëkhyun who had basked in those distasteful attentions.

“Where is my whore? Where is he?” Kāi slammed his fist into the wall, screeching, and he did the same with Kyungsoo whose head snapped back and Chanyeøl's nose was assaulted by an even heavier whiff of more blood. It was starting to cloud his senses, but the library kept close tabs on him and him anchored to the ground.

Kyungsoo’s head lolled from left to right and it seemed like he had lost consciousness.

“Why can’t I take you away from here you whore?” He laughed unbelieving like a madman, hiccups intermingling with his chilling laughter.

Chanyeøl kept a close watch on Kyungsoo’s body whose hand suddenly shot up, grasping onto the wrist pinning him to the wall. Kāi swiftly cried out in pain when the sound of breaking bones reached Chanyeøl’s ears who winced in return. Kyungsoo landed on his two feet, snarling down at Kāi who cradled his broken wrist to his chest.

“What a disgusting cry-baby, crying wolf when I can already hear your bones growing back together.” Kyungsoo pulled his leg back and before Kāi could teleport away, for a short moment Taejung’s features replaced Kyungsoo, before morphing back. It was enough to offset Kāi and he was unable to escape the kick delivered to his head and he was flung into the nearest shelf. Only after that, he went missing, but Kyungsoo was already in the movement of jumping up the shelves when he threw Chanyeøl a look and motioned with his head quickly into which direction he had to run.

Chanyeøl was following Kyungsoo closely from the ground who was gracefully manoeuvring on top of the shelves, before he jumped down again, his eyes narrowed on Kāi and the dagger in front of his chest. Chanyeøl didn’t catch Taejung’s face this time, but Kāi was still offset and Kyungsoo drove the dagger deep into the man’s shoulder before vanishing himself.

Chanyeøl suddenly felt a foreign sensation at his exposed ankle and a look down revealed an ankle-bracelet similar to Kyungsoo that bound him to the library and that meant, whatever Kāi did to Chanyeøl, he would be unable to be teleported away. He brandished an onslaught of fire at Kāi before swiftly ducking away. He met up with Kyungsoo in another corner of the library.

“Now it’s getting real’ ugly, Chanyeøl.” Kyungsoo shoved him out of the way when suddenly Kāi appeared and slammed his fist into Kyungsoo’s jaw whose head shot sideways but there was an expression of madness contorting his features. When he craned his head back slowly, he was replaced by Taejung who smiled wickedly at Kāi. The demon was obviously not believing his eyes and he slowly reached out with his previously broken hand, uncharacteristically softly cupping the other demon’s face, tracing the feature.

“You had no right running away from me,” he suddenly screamed slamming Taejung’s face into the wall, but before his head made any noteworthy impact with the wall, he teleported away right under his hand. “How, you bitch? You are mine! You have no right to disobey me!”

He teleported right in front of Taejung who was always just out of reach for a fuming Kāi who was slowly losing his last pieces of sanity.

“You know what, Kāi? I liked you, once, before you turned on me. By now I loathe you and I just want to see you gone. So you leave me alone, forever and for the rest of your miserable life. You’re a fucking disgrace and you need to rot away somewhere very far from here.” His appearance changed back to Kyungsoo and Kāi took a step back, his arms mid-way raised to shield him.

“How?”

“Making deals with an archangel ain’t fun, is it? You could’ve gotten stronger when you didn’t kill your doppelgänger, scum. You and your little minions, all stepping oblivious foot into our traps. You want to know how?” Unanticipatedly. Taejung merged from Kyungsoo, clad in something resembling tactical wear and he grinned wickedly at Kāi.

“Hey, asshole. Surprised?” Taejung must’ve anticipated it when Kāi suddenly jumped at him, obviously trying to teleport the two of them, but his magic showed no result.

“How? How? _How?_ ” He was growing increasingly distressed and his chest heaved hysterically, his spine and stomach visible under the yellow crop top vinyl jacket starting to distort as if something was trying to get out. Taejung grabbed the demon clinging to him and flung him into the nearest wall.

“How, you ask? Isn’t it obvious? You didn’t kill me back then, I had already merged with Kyungsoo here, growing even stronger than before. Do you really think I was as weak as you and Byun made me out to be? Are you still not getting it into the thick skull of yours?” Taejung slowly walked closer and even Chanyeøl felt himself almost cowering away. “You’re sick. You’re weak. I should have let you rot when I found you, but no, I was so nice, I sired you and saved your life.” He crouched down and forcefully lifted Kāi’s head, smacking it into the wall behind him as he did it to Kyungsoo before.

“You hurt Kyungsoo, made him bleed. I hate to see him bleed. Let me tell you a secret. I love him. And I never once in my life trusted and loved you, the second you decided to raise your hand against me; your maker.” Taejung’s hand covered the demon’s lower face and he pressed, hard. Kāi wasn’t even able to scream out. His teal hair was already mixed with blood and there was a small string of blood coming from his nose, his eye starting to be pervaded with exploded veins, tainting his sclera with blood.

Behind him, Kyungsoo appeared sneering down at Kāi. “You know what made us even more upset?”

Chanyeøl heard and felt Kāi’s bones trying to arrange themselves back, but Taejung’s finger didn’t budge a millimetre and interrupted the healing. But he was concentrating on the task at hand, the role he was supposed to fulfil. “You did the same to our Chanyeøl. Do you feel your consciousness slipping away? Is thinking getting harder for you? I see your eyes dulling. He’s slowly frying your brain, you’ll be alive, but you’ll never teleport again. This is the punishment. You’ll live forever, but for what price?” Taejung pulled away, straightening his back, his back against Kyungsoo before merging back into Kyungsoo.

Kāi slumped irreversibly into himself, his body leaning forward while his eyes lost their life and shine. He was breathing noisily and made gurgling noises in the back of his throat. Kyungsoo carefully pulled his head back, opening the air passageway. “You’re not going to die; you don’t deserve to die. Not like the many people you killed when stealing their books. But you won’t stay here, you don’t get the opportunity to see Taejung ever again. Where I sent you, there will be nothing except darkness. The one thing you are afraid for. Afraid to be lost on the dimension you travel in when you teleport. Won’t it be nice to be exposed to the maddening sounds of teleportation?”

Chanyeøl approached Kyungsoo on heavy soles, the result of his help weighing him down, but he understood that it had to be done. Kyungsoo looked up at him; pity and pride were swimming in his eyes. Kāi slowly dissolved and in his wake hundreds of books piled up.

“This can wait till tomorrow, Chanyeøl, let’s get you in bed.” Upon Kyungsoo soothingly soft voice, Chanyeøl felt suffocated by love and care and he finally broke down, crying like there was no tomorrow, feeling freed as he had never before with his previous masters’ curses finally lifted.

ʘ

Taejung and Kyungsoo were busy prepping the library and Chanyeøl had a hard time keeping up when the other two most teleported between the shelves they needed to get to, yet it took them a whole week to organise and catalogue everything that was new in their possession.

The ministry had actually dared to drop by, announcing they had found out who the ones behind the attacks were, yet they dropped by so unannouncedly they were face to face with Taejung, Kyungsoo and Chanyeøl. The former two in the middle of spell work and the pink-haired demon watching them from the ground, cross-legged.

Kyungsoo grabbed his dagger so fast, that the sound of it hitting the wood next to Mr Meyers had just registered seconds later, the ear of the ministry’s minion slowly being coated in deep red by the thickly prickling blood.

“What is the meaning of this?” He was too stunned to even reach for his ear, his eyes wildly darting between the three men. Taejung had such a hateful expression on his face and Kyungsoo just stared blankly. The dagger materialised back in his hand.

“ _Intruder._ Mr Meyers. Do you know what that means? For your life? You should be grateful that I expected such stupidity from you fucking assholes,” rolled off Kyungsoo’s tongue slowly and it made even Chanyeøl crawl back in fright. Something dropped off Kyungsoo’s fingers and the click of a ring on the ground was ear-deafening loud in the silent library, and before he knew it, a lindworm slithered towards him, curling herself around the demon and hissing towards the newcomers.

“Isn’t th—”

“Did you hear what I said?” Kyungsoo suddenly found himself in front of the magister, his hand curling around the man’s collar and yanking him down so harshly, his head smacked into Kyungsoo’s who didn’t react at all. _“It’s nice of you coming here yourself, makes it easier for me to kill you.”_

Only Taejung knew what Kyungsoo was saying, Kyungsoo was speaking in tongues, but the magister also understood.

“Do you know what it means to house a traitor and criminal?” Meyers’ eyes were still fixated on Chanyeøl until Taejung shielded the young demon’s cowering form with his body. His eyes refocused, now staring wide-eyed at Taejung. “You!”

“I’m surprised you even recognise me in this situation.” Taejung stepped closer, his hand resting on Kyungsoo’s shoulder before he merged into the man. The magister’s companions didn’t know what to do, utterly shocked by what they saw. They wouldn’t act until they had orders, but at this point, they couldn’t grasp the situation at all.

 _“I’m_ housing _two traitors, as you put it so graciously. What will you do? Act upon your right as magister and kill me? Ask for the books? Or be killed for trespassing?_ Magister. I need your answers, or you’ll lose more than one ear.” Kyungsoo stepped back, a crazed expression on his face while he unblinkingly stared at the magister that started to finally register what had been said. “Do you really think _you_ deserve the books? After I killed each and every of _your_ little demon minions? _You_ think you can steal from me? Lying to me?” He turned around to Chanyeøl. “Chanyeøl, love, come here.” He beckoned him over and Chanyeøl slowly approached, his magic surging high in case he was to be attacked, but Kyungsoo just grabbed his hand, intertwining their fingers. “Stay close.”

Chanyeøl stood behind Kyungsoo while keeping himself grounded by their hands. He had no idea what was happening but he trusted Kyungsoo.

“I prepared a package for you, a package full of documents and evidence of your guilt. The guilt of killing innocent librarians, stealing hundreds of books full of dark magic to kill dimensions. Do you think I didn’t know?”

“Lies, all lies!” Mr Meyers suddenly yelled. “Detain them for treachery and terrorism!”

“On what basis, Meyers?” Kyungsoo drew a simple gesture into the air, freezing the guards to their spots. “Weren’t you the one to make assassination strikes against Doppelgänger because you also believed it made you stronger? I let you in on a secret; genuine trust into the other version of yourself is what makes you stronger. You saw it, didn’t you?”

“What are you doing, move you lazy bastards!”

“Sir, we can’t…”

“Useless!” The magister was about to brandish his weapon against the guard that spoke up, but his weapon only noisily clattered to the ground while the magister’s face contorted in pain and his wrist started moving in an unnatural way back before it suddenly cracked and the bones snapped, yet the magister didn’t utter a sound.

“I thought you’d chose a stronger human host, magister. I thought better of you, but Lucifer will be glad to kill you after me. I said it in the beginning, but this archangel will fall deeper than Lucifer ever has.” Kyungsoo’s eyes still seemed so cold and there was this specific colour dancing in his irises no-one had words for. “You’ll be sentenced to death, but you don’t want me to choose your penalty. I _know_ your darkest fears, but whoever judges you, you’ll end up with Lucifer and let me tell you, I told him already.”

The unnatural angle of the wrist continued and suddenly the magister’s elbow snapped into the opposite direction, his shoulder ripped back and as if an invisible force pushed him forwards, his ribcage suddenly exploded.

Out of thin air, Taejung appeared in front of the motionless and bleeding body of the magister. There was something pulsating in his bloodied hand that at once transformed into something that was so fearful, one wouldn’t be able to describe this creature if it were a creature at all. Chanyeøl felt the urge to retch from the awful sight that was bestowed on his eyes, but something in Kyungsoo’s hold held him back.

 _“Archangel…”_ Kyungsoo smiled and let go of Chanyeøl’s hand but before he was even able to reach for the librarian’s hand, it was replaced by Taejung’s who pulled him into his arms. The guards were rooted to the ground, frozen by fear. Kyungsoo flipped the dagger in the air, catching it every time while walking closer before he suddenly vanished, and the creature let something out that could only be described as a bone-chilling shriek or screech. The guard closes to it, rolled his eyes back, before he was foaming at the mouth out of all sudden, blood coming from his eyes, nose, and ears. Kyungsoo appeared behind the archangel, muttering in something that could be Latin before he drove the dagger through the pulsating anomaly and his own palm of his hand, the metal of the dagger coated by blood pulsating in this weird colourful glow that Chanyeøl by now associated with Kyungsoo and Taejung.

The creature’s body suddenly went up in blue and green flames and Chanyeøl felt a pull and wanted to get closer, but the iron grip Taejung had on him, didn’t let him go and Chanyeøl started to growl. There was a force that compelled him to go closer to the flames, to caress them, to indulge himself in them, but he wasn’t able to. He pulled, attacked, and bit Taejung, drawing blood and feeding himself until a little bit of self-conscience surfaced and his body the poison in the blood recognised. His eyes rolled back before he dropped unconscious.

ʘ

Chanyeøl’s throat was parched and his eyes crusted. He had heard Kyungsoo talking to someone shortly before and it made him slowly wake up. His whole body felt on fire, but he was unable to make a sound, his limbs stiff and cold. A weird sound he hadn’t heard before, made him stir in his seat and something providing warmth slid down his shoulders. The sound of yipping came closer and ended right before him. Another couple of more yips and he made out a whine. Finally managing to force his eyes open, he was met with the sight of a small creature with black fur, poking a tongue out and its butt in the air, tail wagging.

“What?” He croaked out, but this caught the attention of the little demon even more and he barked, going on his hindlegs, and resting his forepaws at Chanyeøl’s leg, trying to get up by pawing at the knee.

“Toben, you little rascal, come back here.” The creature looked at the owner and back at Chanyeøl before tilting his head, something akin to a questioning yip coming from it. But there was something about the other person’s voice that was so eerily familiar.

“Oh my, I really do look cute with that hair. But that’s not me, Toben. Should try that hair next comeback though, why didn’t I see it last time, Kyungsoo?” Why was the person speaking like they wer—Chanyeøl’s eyes finally shot open, looking up at the man in front of him that held out a hand, a wide toothy grin on his face, “Pleased to finally meet you awake. I’m also Chanyeol, Park Chanyeol to be exact. Full-time time-traveller and part-time idol in South Korea in a neighbouring dimension. I heard your Taejung and Kyungsoo’s boyfriend? Lucky you!”

* * *

* * *

FIN.

* * *

*shels – [Journey to the Plains](https://youtu.be/fg5IOgbPlTg)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> that concludes this story, what a ride it was. never thought i would write xexo because the styling was a bit...well, anyway. i guess it also came unexpectedly to my friends that i would even write about doppelgänger esp. xexo, like..,.yeah, anyway. thank YOU for accompanying me on this wile and confusing ride, i hope question you had got answered, if not, shoot me a comment and I'm going to talk a kotlett to your ear about it.  
> also special thanks to my beta agent_k on aff who did a more or less well job, even if she did forgot sometimes to straight out beta my chapters. but still, love you, thank you!
> 
> did the story end the way you anticipated? or was something like suuuuper unexpected. this is just a plot to gain traction and comments, basically engagement. indulge me in your love. what did i write once? "love me, love, say that you love me". yeah, were there already again.
> 
> comments and thoughts, as short as they may be are very much appreciated~  
> hit me up on [twt](https://mobile.twitter.com/fallacyofwhat) if you want to talk to me, find me, i also upload my fanarts there.


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